EMA warns of worn fleet; asks council for plan, one vehicle request now

Bob Jackson, director of Grant County Emergency Management Agency, told the council the agency’s vehicles are worn and, after recent heavy callouts, sometimes all deployed at once.

"We are really to the point where end of life is probably long past some of these vehicles," Jackson said, listing multiple recent callouts and noting six fleet vehicles that need replacement. He said the fleet was partly comprised of sheriff's department hand-me-downs and that one EMA vehicle is currently out of service.

Jackson provided a state-bid price he had collected: a crew-cab Chevrolet Silverado with a police-package quote of about $48,507; outfitting the truck with lights and other gear would cost roughly $6,000 more, he said. Council members pressed for options and asked whether vehicles could be rotated from other county departments (highway, health or sheriff) or acquired used; they advised Jackson to return with a short plan and options for budget time, including comparisons of new and used vehicles and the possibility of auctioning older units.

Council members said they were sympathetic but asked EMA to show a prioritized, multiyear replacement schedule so the council can consider the request in the next budget cycle. Jackson said donations and community contributions may help outfit immediate needs but that the long-term solution is a formal replacement cycle rather than ad hoc hand-me-downs.

Council direction: bring back specific vehicle options, up-to-date quotes and a proposal for a replacement cycle; if a single vehicle is required now for safety, provide exact specifications and updated pricing ahead of the next meeting.