Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Daniels County discusses replacement options as fire vehicles age and fail
Summary
Commissioners reviewed repeated breakdowns of aging firefighting vehicles, considered buying a used 2008 fully equipped brush truck, explored low-interest loans and grants, and directed staff to pursue vehicle leads and evaluate transfer options for abandoned or Stone Garden vehicles.
Commissioners opened a substantive discussion about aging fire apparatus after officials reported multiple recent breakdowns, including a 1974 brush truck that missed calls because of fuel system failures. Members said the vehicle fleet is reaching a stage where parts are increasingly scarce and reliability problems are affecting response capability.
Board members described a fully equipped 2008 Ford 4x4 brush truck advertised at about $45,000 as one possible replacement and discussed financing options, including low-interest loans and grants available through regional programs. Commissioners also asked staff to get precise vehicle dimensions to ensure a candidate would fit the county fire hall and to confirm mileage/hours and drivetrain details before pursuing a purchase.
The board agreed staff should pursue low-cost acquisition options, including the administrative process to acquire an apparently abandoned pickup at the sheriff’s office (which county counsel or law-enforcement staff said could be transferred after valuation and paperwork). Commissioners discussed repurposing or transferring vehicles acquired under state programs (referred to in the meeting as Stone Garden) and noted that intergovernmental transfers typically require valuation and sometimes reimbursement.
Officials weighed whether to purchase a full ready-to-run unit, buy a chassis/cab and commission an upfit, or convert other assets (including fuel-tanker trailers from a co-op) into water tenders. Equipment fit, winterization requirements for tank trailers, availability of towing tractors, and the county’s ability to finish upfits locally were all raised as constraints. No final purchase was authorized at the meeting; staff were asked to collect more information, call sellers about availability and lengths, and return with cost/fit analyses and financing options.
Next steps: staff will measure garage space, contact sellers about the 2008 Ford unit’s length and availability, evaluate low-interest loan/grant options, and pursue title paperwork on the abandoned pickup to determine feasibility of county acquisition.
