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Selectboard approves take-home command vehicle for deputy fire chief to speed incident command
Summary
The Selectboard approved a request allowing Deputy Chief Anthony Barton to use the Skowhegan Fire Department command vehicle as a take-home vehicle to improve response and incident command during off-duty calls; the board discussed operational readiness, mutual aid, fuel costs and extending the policy to police deputies (police decision deferred).
Fire Chief Ryan Johnston asked the Selectboard to permit Deputy Chief Anthony Barton to take the Skowhegan Fire Department C2 command vehicle home to improve operational readiness and shorten response times. “Having DC Barton take this vehicle home is actually relatively important to how we operate,” Johnston said, explaining that Barton lives closer to likely call areas and can arrive faster to assume incident command when the on-duty roster is short.
Johnston described a recent fatal accident response where distance to the call limited his ability to assume command and said a closer deputy chief in a take-home command vehicle would provide incident command continuity while hands-on crews focus on operations. He also said the vehicle is town-owned, the department’s fuel use was under budget, and the arrangement mirrors practices in comparable towns.
Board members discussed operational benefits and potential long-term costs. Several members noted the apparent precedent for take-home vehicles in town for on-call roles and asked whether the same approach should be offered for police leadership; the police side was discussed but the Selectboard elected to defer any police decision until more members were present and paperwork could be reviewed.
The motion to authorize Deputy Chief Anthony Barton to use the C2 command vehicle as a take-home vehicle passed by the board in the meeting record (motion carries 3-0). The police chief indicated he would return with a comparable request for the police deputy at a future meeting when full board membership could review supporting documents.
Next steps: town staff will document the take-home vehicle policy terms, monitor fuel/maintenance costs and return any police-side request at the next meeting.
