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Supervisors press for faster funding to replace failing breathing apparatus for rescue crews
Summary
Board members said self-contained breathing apparatus used by county rescue personnel are failing and pose a liability; members asked staff to provide a timetable and not rely solely on potential grants to fund replacement, citing contractor quotes in the mid-six-figure to low-million range.
Shenandoah County supervisors used their Aug. 12 board-member comment period to press for quicker action to replace failing self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and other rescue equipment.
Speaker 1 said Chief Pozzo previously reported SCBA failures and described the issue as a liability for crews responding to emergencies. "We've got them failing. Out of date doesn't work. It's too much liability," Speaker 1 said, urging the board not to wait only for grant funding.
Board members referenced multiple quotes for replacement equipment, with one summary characterization that a previously cited quote was "the 1 quote" near $3 million, and another quote described as "much less, but still in the millions" and additional characterizations as "less than 2, more than 1" million or "six figures" depending on scope. The transcript does not provide a single consolidated purchase estimate or vendor name.
Speaker 1 asked staff to bring more data and a timetable for progress to a future meeting and emphasized that the need extends beyond one locality to rescue crews countywide. The board did not adopt a funding appropriation or commit to a specific procurement at the meeting; members asked for additional information and said they would revisit the topic at a future session.
