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EMA director outlines grants, donated equipment and plans for mobile command trailer and vehicle request
Summary
EMA Director Terry Jackson briefed the council on several grants and donated equipment, including plans to convert an acquired trailer into a mobile command center and a future request for a tow vehicle (~$70,000) and a deputy‑director job title change; he said formal appropriation requests will follow once grant and title work is complete.
Emergency Management Agency Director Terry Jackson updated the council on grant awards, donated equipment and operational needs for Greene County emergency management and said he will return with formal appropriation requests after grants and logistics are finalized.
Jackson outlined recent awards and donations he has secured for EMA, including a Department of Energy grant for office monitors and a grant from the Greene County Foundation to buy a drone. He described locating an unused state trailer and a larger 40‑foot trailer of equipment he expects to convert into a mobile command center; he estimated the equipment package could be worth roughly $175,000–$200,000 and said the trailers were acquired at no cost to the county.
Jackson said the county currently lacks a vehicle capable of towing the large goose‑neck trailer and that he will request a dual‑purpose tow vehicle (he estimated about $70,000) in his 2027 budget; he also requested changing an administrative assistant job title to deputy director to reflect field responsibilities and ensure operational continuity when he is unavailable. Jackson said the highway department and commissioners are engaged in conversations about temporary towing solutions but that formal appropriations will be requested later.
Why this matters: Converting donated trailers into a mobile command center would expand the county’s emergency response capacity at limited acquisition cost, but it requires towing capability, equipment installations and formal budget authority for a vehicle and staff capacity.
Next steps: Jackson will return with appropriation requests tied to grant receipts and the finalized job description for the deputy director position.
