Board approves most equipment for Clintwood Rescue Squad grant request, defers ambulance to next budget

The Dickenson County Board of Supervisors voted to approve key items in a grant application from the Clintwood Rescue Squad, awarding funding for three new cardiac monitors, an AED trainer and CPR mannequins while scheduling an ambulance purchase for next fiscal year.

County administrator (Mister Barton) outlined the grant package as a 70% state grant with a 30% local match and said the squad’s full request totaled about $538,001.66 with a county match near $161,450.08. Rescue representative (speaker listed as Rescue representative, Clintwood) told the board the squad’s current heart monitors are at or beyond their service life and that modern monitors ‘‘take blood pressures, do 12-leads, do pulse-ox and have AED capability’’ that improves response for STEMI and other cardiac events.

The board debated scope and timing. Supervisor Shelby (Committee member S4) and others recommended approving the smaller-ticket training items and three monitors now and leaving the Ford Transit ambulance—priced by the squad at roughly $249,009.73—to the next year’s budget given 15–18 months’ lead time for vehicle delivery. Supervisor Rhonda (S2) moved the package as narrowed, which passed on a voice vote.

Board members discussed asking the towns for additional assistance, and staff indicated lead times and grant-award windows mean some items would arrive in early 2027 if awarded. The county will apply the approved match amounts from general funds or future budget lines as required.

The action was procedural approval to proceed with the grant application and to commit to the specified county match for the approved items; the ambulance purchase was noted as a commitment in next year’s budget planning.