Council flags need for volunteer firefighters, permanent cellular coverage and equipment upgrades

Council members used the emergency meeting to catalog operational and staffing shortages exposed by the brush fire. Multiple councilors urged ramping up recruitment for volunteer firefighters. Council Member Brian Batt listed equipment needs including replacing tires on the tanker truck, acquiring a fire-department-equipped side-by-side, and improving radio installations in fire vehicles.

Council and the fire chief also raised communications as a priority. Tim White noted the lack of reliable cellular service inhibited coordination, and Council Member Josh Whitaker described onlooker traffic that blocked access along critical routes. Mayor Crabb added the town needs permanent emergency cellular coverage and encouraged targeting recruitment and equipment funding in follow-up recovery plans. No formal motions were made to allocate funds during the special meeting; the council prioritized these items for near-term planning and potential grant or vendor procurement.