Ewing board pledges funds for firefighting equipment

Ewing Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department will receive funds for equipment from the village board of trustees.

Ewing Fire Chief Ryan Schrunk told trustees that $20,000 has been secured toward the purchase of a cordless jaws of life.

“We’ve got approximately $20,000 committed, but we are continually looking for more funds,” he said.

The pricetag for the piece of equipment runs near $30,000.

Village trustees approved $10,000 toward the purchase of a cordless jaws of life and earmarked another $10,000 toward a powerlift cot during its April 10 meeting.

Shrunk said the fire department is working on several equipment upgrade projects, including the purchase of a new ambulance.

The fire chief said the department received a $75,000 grant toward the purchse of a new ambulance. A new power cot will be necessary to use with the new ambulance. Schrunk estimated the cost of a cot and autoloader at $50,000.

The Ewing Rural Fire Board has committed to assist with other equipment upgrades, including rigging the department’s six-wheeler for tank and pump setup.

“The rural board said to move forward with the $75,000 we got as a grant for a new ambulance,” Schrunk said. “We’re looking to raise all the monies we can raise for the new additions.”

The new ambulance will be ordered by December.

“We don’t have to take possession of it until after Sept. 20, 2026, so we have about three years to plug in and get monies,” Schrunk said.

The department will consider options, including refurbishing one of the oldest boxes, making it a four-wheel drive chassis, like the fleet’s current 99-1.

Cost estimates for that option run between $180,000 and $200,000.

“Otherwise, we can purchase used, if we can find a good used one,” Schrunk said.

Department members have located a used unit, with a pricetag of $189,000.

“It’s ready to go, but it’s got 66,000 miles on it. It’s a 2019,” Schrunk said. “We’re going to put an autoload in 99-1, no matter what.”

Trustee Kane Fry asked if the department has received any other grant monies toward the ambulance purchase.

Schrunk said no.

“If monies become available again, we can apply in November. I don’t know if we would get it,” Schrunk said.

In other business, trustees:

• approved the village’s audit report;

• created a separate bank account for the one-cent sales tax, which started collection on April 1; and

• approved a building permit for an equipment and storage shed for Terry Anson.