Fire Chief awaits delivery of new asset

Dispatch costs, a delay of the new fire engine and savings for the city, all of these were a part of Jim Bostic’s Fire Department update at the Aug. 20 Ritzville City Council meeting.

To begin his report, Bostic told the council the fire department had responded to six calls in the city. One of the calls resulted in monetary loss. The fire started because of the electrical system in the house, which was not installed properly. The rest of the calls were related to the storm that ripped through the town the week before.

He also presented the council with a contract for dispatch services from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office.

The agreement required the city to pay the ASCO $119.89 for dispatching services in 2015 as well as having the city pay $1,000 annually for maintenance and upgrades to the dispatching system. The increased cost, according to Bostic, is due to the narrow band requirements implemented by the FCC.

Bostic then reported the fire department had been able to save the city $1,300 each year by having firefighters test hoses instead of hiring a company to do it.

He then updated the council about the new fire truck the fire department had purchased with authorization from the council. The new truck was purchased from a fire department in a community right next to Ferguson, Missouri.

With the rioting and unrest in the area the transport company refused to take their truck into the area until he situation had calmed. In the meantime the truck had been secured in the Hazelwood City Shop and was having its engine and transmission serviced at no cost to Ritzville.