Brandon Twp.- A new ambulance, the relocation of a classroom, and a 16-foot trailer were approved as expenditures for the Brandon Fire Department at the Aug. 7 township board meeting.
The new ambulance, a 2006 Wheelcoach, will cost $100,000, but Fire Chief Bob McArthur anticipates receiving $20,000 on a trade-in of a 1999 ambulance the department bought as a demo unit, was in an accident in 2000, and which there have been mechanical problems with. The department has two other Wheelcoach ambulances, one a 2000 model and the other a 2001. McArthur says ambulances are typically replaced when they are 6-7 years old, depending on how they are operating.
The ambulance is a budgeted item, as is the relocation of a classroom which $65,000 was approved for.
The relocation of the classroom from the first floor of Station #1 to the second floor of the station located at 53 South St., will create more office space and a secure storage area to meet HIPPA requirements. The fire department is required by law to keep various medical records for many years, including firefighters?, which must be maintained in a secure area for the life of all current and ex-paid on-call employees and for a year following their death.
A new classroom on the second floor will be able to accomodate more students with a space of 1,200 square feet and relieve congestion in the administrative assistant office. The existing classroom will be used as a bunk room/day room and the room currently used for that purpose will become secure storage and additional office space.
McArthur explains the cost will be high because of the need to make code requirements for the commercial building. Insulation, drywall and wiring need to be installed, as well as fire doors, and the stairwell needs to be brought up to code.
The township board also approved $6,000 for an enclosed trailer to store and transport about two tons of wood, which would be used in trench and collapse rescues.
All expenditures were unanimously approved by the board.