Fire department to buy new ambulance
The Red Oak Fire Department is in need of a new rescue squad vehicle.
At last week’s city council meeting, Red Oak Fire Chief John Bruce asked the council to consider seeking bids for a ambulance.
The unit being replaced is rescue squad unit #114. There are currently three units at the Red Oak Fire Station.
According to City Administrator Brad Wright, the unit being used right now in place of the problematic vehicle is around 16 years old and is “being forced into service and making [transfers and rescues] more dangerous.”
Wright said the unit the department wants to replace has had several mechanical issues and even though it has been worked on several times, it has never run correctly.
“It’s just had multiple mechanical problems,” Wright said. “When one [problem’s] fixed, another one seems to happen. We’re trying to be proactive [before something serious happens].”
He also mentioned the department doesn’t want to use a unit that is unreliable due to the nature of work being done, such as transferring ill patients to hospitals.
The council gave the okay to pursue bids for a new unit, but asked Wright to consult with an attorney to pursue warranty coverage and have the current unit fixed.
According to Wright, funds to purchase a new unit will come from the Local Option Sales Tax, where there is a portion of funds designated for public safety.
Wright hopes to open and receive bids within the next 30 days.
The council also discussed the need for individuals to serve on a board of appeals. The board was established after the council passed a new ordinance adopting building codes and inspections.
The board will allow homeowners and landlords to appeal problems with inspections.
Wright is hoping to have five people serve on the board, but so far has had no interest.
The city administrator said city officials needs to be “more aggressive in getting out there and finding those individuals” qualified to serve on the board.
The ordinance establishing the board of appeals says three individuals must live within Red Oak’s city limits and the other two can live outside of city limits, but within Montgomery County.