Angelica Ramos
Contributing Writer
MONTGOMERY CO. – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the purchase of three new vehicles for county fire and rescue departments at its July 22 meeting.
Prior to the vote, the board heard a presentation from Chief Billy Hanks regarding the allocation of funds for the Capital Improvement Plan, which focuses on equipment for the departments. Before Hanks began his presentation, County Administrator Angela Hill reminded the board and public that the board sets aside a portion of the real estate tax to go towards fire and rescue equipment. Hanks explained the funds would go toward replacing three fire and rescue vehicles for Montgomery County, including Christiansburg Fire Engine 87, Elliston Fire Departments Brush Truck 29 and Longshop Mccoy Rescue Squad Response vehicle number 30. Hanks explained vehicles like these run on 15- 20 year (in the case of Elliston’s brush truck) replacement schedule. Christiansburg’s Engine 87 was a 2005 model, according to Hank’s presentation, and therefore fiscal year 2025 would be the year it would need to be replaced. Hanks explained the process for which vehicles will be replaced goes by mileage and age and then by department based on need. These vehicles, Hanks explained, take up to a year to sometimes a maximum of four years to have built and delivered. The price tag on replacing fire and rescue vehicles is not that of simply buying a new car, it is much more than that as these vehicles come fully equipped for the services they provide.
“You’re looking at a million five ($1.5 million),” Hanks said, “to replace an engine. That seems like a lot of money, but it’s broken down over 20 years; it’s not really that much money, but it is considerably a lot more money than we paid five years ago. Prices on ambulances and other apparatuses have gone substantially through the roof.”
Hanks explained the trucks being replaced don’t always just get taken away, but the departments sometimes sell them or give them to other fire and rescue departments. For example, Christiansburg Fire can give a response vehicle to Elliston if Elliston were in need of it. The Christiansburg Fire Engine, Hanks explained, will more than likely go away and not be given to another department as it’s on its last legs.
“Right now, it’s a money pit to my department,” said Hanks. “We spend anywhere between 20,000-30,000 dollars a year just keeping that truck on the road.”
The Board of Supervisors heard this presentation and the requests for where those funds be allocated and voted unanimously, with the exception of Supervisor Sara Bohn due to absence, on approving those new vehicles for Montgomery County.
