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Middlesex staff pursue grant for 29-foot emergency response vessel; board to decide May 5
Summary
Emergency Services Coordinator David Layman asked the board to pursue a River Counties Community Foundation grant for a 29-foot multi-mission vessel to cover more than 150 miles of shoreline; staff requested $6,000 annually for maintenance beginning FY 2027–28 and the board deferred a decision to May 5.
Emergency Services Coordinator David Layman briefed the board on a River Counties Community Foundation grant opportunity to acquire a 29-foot center-console all-hazards emergency response vessel to address gaps in waterborne firefighting, rescue and HazMat response across the county’s waterways.
Layman said Middlesex has "over 150 miles of shoreline and extensive rivers and creeks" and that the county averages "about 20 water-related incidents annually." He requested that the board consider allocating $6,000 per year for maintenance costs such as fuel and insurance beginning in FY 2027–28. Layman also said the county would integrate the vessel into regional mutual-aid networks with support from partners such as the Virginia Port Authority’s Maritime Incident Response Team. Because of a short application window, the board deferred a final directive to the regular meeting on May 5 so members could review operational and budget implications.
If funded, the vessel would be trailered at the sheriff’s office and made available to the sheriff’s office, volunteer fire departments, and the rescue squad; a committee of those agencies would finalize specifications, operating procedures and training.
