WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS VOICE OPPOSITION TO PROPOSED BFD POLICY ALLOWING RESPONSE TO ALL CRASHES IN CITY
Several members of the Washington County Commissioners Court are none too happy with a new proposal from the Brenham Fire Department (BFD) that would allow it to respond to all crashes, regardless of entrapment, on major city roads.
During her monthly report to commissioners at their meeting this (Tuesday) morning, Washington County E-911 Director Kristi Stamnes said the BFD is proposing it be allowed to respond to crashes without entrapment that occur on major roads within city limits, or where the Brenham Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency.
The roads being referred to include: Highway 290 East and West, along with feeder roads; Business 290, including Market, Main, and Alamo Streets; Highway 36 North and South; Business 36, including North Park, South Austin, and South Day Streets; Highway 105; Business 105, including Chappell Hill Street; and Blue Bell Road.
Certain response criteria would need to be met for BFD to be dispatched, including if Washington County EMS has already been dispatched to the scene, more than two vehicles are involved in the accident, a commercial vehicle is involved, the roadway is blocked, engine fluids are on the ground, or any other reason a dispatcher may believe that the fire department is needed. Stamnes noted that only one of these criteria need to be met to allow BFD to be dispatched.
During these incident types, firefighters would provide traffic management and general cleanup. Volunteer staff members would not be required to respond, but they can respond to the scene if within a reasonable response distance, or to the Brenham fire station.
Stamnes said it is imperative that all parties involved are in agreement when it comes to a decision such as this.
The Commissioners Court was not shy in its opposition to the policy, with County Judge John Durrenberger saying it is “a bad policy all the way around”. He said it would also add to taxpayer expense to account for the increased amount of fire trucks dispatched to accidents.
Commissioner Kirk Hanath held few words of criticism back, saying while this may be done in the name of safety, there is no proof that these practices will be safer for residents or the fire department. Hanath said going to these accidents when there is not a need is not necessary, but is costly. He said he is in disbelief that the city would think this is a time for expansion, while nearly every other agency is “tightening their belts”. He said, on the surface, this appears that the BFD is to trying to increase its call volume, and if that is true, it is “sad” to see something like that being done by a public safety department.
Commissioner Joy Fuchs was also not in favor of the proposal, saying it is not safe for drivers to have to deal with an increased number of fire trucks racing to accidents. She said this policy is not the right thing to do, at least not now.
Washington County EMS Director Kevin Deramus said there is a time and a place for a “push the red button”/send in the cavalry approach, but doing it for every accident does not make sense to him.
Hanath, along with Fuchs and Durrenberger, encouraged Brenham City Councilmembers to look very strongly at the proposition once it comes before them and make a decision based upon the data associated with it, not opinion.
Also at today’s meeting, commissioners:
- Heard reports from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, EMS, Engineering and Development Services Department, Information Technology (IT) Department, and Veterans Service Officer.
- Reappointed Hanath, Deramus, Washington County Emergency Management Coordinator Bryan Ruemke, Brenham Fire Chief Ricky Boeker, Blinn College Police Chief John Chancellor, Brenham ISD Assistant Superintendent Paul Aschenbeck, and Larry Neveaux of Washington County COPS to the Homeland Security Advisory Committee for April 1st through March 31, 2021.
- Approved a pay application to Collier Construction for the new Engineering and Development Services facility on Highway 36 North.