Court approves recovery funds for EMS

At the Commissioners’ Court’s regular meeting on July 28, the court unanimously approved a total of $74,732.05 from the Covid Local Fiscal Recovery Funds for the Bandera County Emergency Management Service’s (EMS) equipment needs.

EMS Director Shannon Griffin presented a list of EMS necessities to the court that included a handheld radio and a mounted radio for $11,493.27, a preventative maintenance agreement for one power-load stretcher for $8334, two power stretchers for $42,799.29 with two preventative maintenance agreements for $11.280 and security cameras with software for the EMS building in the amount of $825.29.

Griffin told the court al the EMS’ stretchers had surpassed the seven-year expiration date for rotation.

In regards to the security cameras, Griffin emphasized security surveillance is needed due to the remote location of the EMS station, random late-night visits from unknown individuals and the fact that some late-night shifts are covered by all female staff.

Per County Auditor Darryl Sadler, before the approval of the funds to EMS, there was a balance of $1.9 million in the county’s Covid Local Fiscal Recovery Funds.