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Commissioners allocate $69,100 in supplemental funds to Geronimo Volunteer Fire Department for extractor, tires and SCBA fill station
Summary
With $147,225 left in the volunteer‑fire supplemental fund, the court approved $69,100 to Geronimo VFD for a gear extractor, six tires and an SCBA air‑fill station; action leaves roughly $78,125 available for other pending requests and staff will consult with remaining departments before returning to court.
Geronimo Volunteer Fire Department requested supplemental funding for equipment and station needs including a gear extractor (~$16,000), replacement tires (six tires, ~$3,100) and an SCBA air‑fill station (~$50,000). County staff confirmed the volunteer fund had approximately $147,225 remaining. Commissioners voted to approve $69,100 for the three items, leaving roughly $78,125 in the fund for other departments; the court deferred action on a Cibolo radio request pending staff follow‑up.
Why it matters: Volunteer fire departments remain a core part of emergency coverage in parts of the county. Equipment such as an SCBA air‑fill station can reduce dependency on outside fill stations and improve response capability in northern precincts.
Details: Staff recommended prioritizing items with safety and operability impact (extractor, tires, SCBA fill station) and dropping lower‑priority items (e.g., gear lockers) if funds were constrained. Commissioners asked staff to confirm eligibility rules (some items are only eligible for volunteer department supplemental funds) and to coordinate with departments that previously submitted requests during the budget process.
Next steps: Staff will finalize procurement steps, prepare any necessary budget amendment and return the purchase for consent. The court also asked staff to reach out to departments previously granted allocations and to those that did not formally apply to confirm outstanding needs.
