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Benton County fire trustees outline apparatus needs and ask to present budget request before August
Summary
The Benton County Fire Protection Association told the Committee of the Whole on Jan. 17 that countywide apparatus and staffing pressures—aging engines, rising training and equipment costs, and growing EMS demand—justify a coordinated county budget request; trustees asked to present specific cost estimates before the August budget cycle.
Glenn Bowen, northeast trustee of the Benton County Fire Protection Association, told the Benton County Committee of the Whole on Jan. 17 that the association represents 26 fire departments and manages county apparatus and standards for unincorporated Benton County.
"Benton County Fire Protection Association, we have 26 fire departments," Bowen said in the presentation, outlining coverage that he said includes 62 stations across approximately 884 square miles and a mix of 29 24/7‑staffed stations and volunteer stations.
Why it matters: county funding pays for apparatus acquisition, replacement and life‑cycle management that association officials say sustain volunteer departments and mutual aid across municipal boundaries. Association figures cited during the presentation included roughly 522 full‑time…
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