Cheyenne County officials weigh adding quick-attack truck, storage and grant-linked building

Cheyenne County volunteer fire department representatives and county officials discussed whether to add a quick-attack fire truck, how to store it and how near-term building work would interact with a grant that could arrive later.

Department representatives said a second quick-attack truck would help get resources to fires faster but acknowledged adding a vehicle likely requires additional crew and increased insurance and liability oversight. "You had another truck, you'd probably have to have 2 more firemen," one committee member said. The department representative emphasized that its goal is "bringing as much force to bear as quickly as possible" and described recruitment plans aimed at increasing volunteer capacity.

The fire official described a proposed building addition to house equipment and said the department expects to rely on local special funds and an "acres building fund" to advance near-term construction. He said the department hopes to have cement laid in the summer and at least the building shell up by the end of the summer, while acknowledging that a related grant — discussed in the meeting as a roughly $500,000 award — could take about two years for approval. "If it's through the CDBG... that's two years out," the representative said, and added the county's share of that earlier-discussed $500,000 award would be roughly $100,000 (about one-third of the total) if that funding path is used.

Several county members stressed they do not want a truck to sit outdoors and that storage must be guaranteed before the department accepts or places new apparatus. One attendee relayed that "Roger has expressed a concern about not even proceeding until there is some sort of guarantee that the addition is going to be built" and pressed for clarity about where a vehicle would be stored. A county member said additional communication with Saint Francis and other stakeholders was needed and noted an October 1 timeline tied to the grant process.

Representatives discussed alternatives if construction or guaranteed storage cannot be secured: replacing an aging 2004 truck or proceeding with a second truck and selling or repurposing the older apparatus. The department said the 2004 truck remains operable but is aging and that there are trade-offs to both replacing and acquiring vehicles.

Officials also received program updates: the department plans a two-day junior firefighting program for 16–21 year olds to introduce equipment and procedures and to recruit younger volunteers; and a tender truck that had a manufacturing defect is now back in service after repair work in Atwood and Scotts Bluff. Speakers reported a new truck's outfitting and loading were delayed by weather in Washington but expected delivery paperwork to arrive soon.

No formal decisions about acquiring a new apparatus or accepting grant funding were recorded during the discussion. County members agreed to continue coordinating, with a follow-up meeting offered. Later in the session the group entered a five-minute executive session for advice of counsel; the meeting chair stated on return that there were "No decisions from any executive session." The meeting concluded after a motion to adjourn passed.