A new, $94,982, 26-foot Cowley County Command Trailer is being purchased with Homeland Security grant funds.
The Brown Cargo Van Pull Tongue Trailer will replace a more than 25 year old military bus that was converted by Emergency Management when it was still “Civil Defense.” The bus has not worked for more than a year.
There will be no cost to Cowley County, Emergency Management Coordinator Brian Stone told commissioners during a regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday morning. The commission unanimously approved the purchase.
“The Mobile Command Center would provide power, lighting, and incident command in response to large scale emergencies at remote locations, or serve as a long-term, on-scene incident command post,” said Winfield Police Chief Jerry DeVore. “Specifically, the Mobile Command Center would be equipped for on-site dispatching with full radio and wireless capabilities.”
The county received $102,056 for fiscal year 2006 from Homeland Security. The grant funds are monitored by the Kansas Highway Patrol and tracked internally through a private vendor.
Fisher Scientific, the vendor, actually holds and expends the funds for an administrative fee charged the state. The trailer will be purchased from Brown Cargo Van, a Kansas-based company. The company’s quote was approximately $20,000 lower than the next closest competitor, according to Stone.
Brown Cargo built a command trailer for Sumner County, which Stone and others have personally viewed.
“Cowley County needs to remain proactive in preparing to meet the new challenges that face emergency services,” DeVore said. “A mobile command center will be a tremendous asset for all of the citizens and communities of Cowley County, as it would greatly improve the ability to respond to various emergencies or disasters.”
Stone is also pursuing the purchase of a truck to be the prime mover of the command trailer. Special equipment funds will be used for the purchase. Emergency Management currently has a 2004 Ford F-150 pickup truck and a 2000 Ford Crown Victoria. The Victoria will be used for a trade toward the purchase of the new truck, Stone said.
Ray German, emergency preparedness coordinator for William Newton Hospital; Andrew Wheeler, Salvation Army Corps administrator; Emmalee Conover, warden of the Winfield Correctional Facility; Cowley County Fire districts 2 and 4; Sheriff Bob Odell; Winfield Fire Chief Curtis Wilson; Ark City Police Chief Sean Wallace and Ark City Fire Chief Randy Leach, and Justin Waite, training coordinator for Winfield Area EMS, all wrote letters supporting the purchase.
The trailer would have been invaluable during the Jodi Sanderholm homicide investigation. It could have been stationed at one of the remote crime scenes, Wallace said.
“The trailer could also be utilized at large events such as the county fair, Arkalalah and Kanza Days to five onsite public safety agencies a central command Center to communicate from, plan from, and respond from,” he wrote. “The trailer could be used as a first aid station and information center at large events as well.”