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County OKs Boyd garage for Rescue Squad

By Bill Moss, Published: January 15, 2014

The Henderson County Rescue Squad needs a garage. Henderson County owns a big one it's not using. Need met opportunity Wednesday.

The Board of Commissioners authorized the Rescue Squad to use the old Boyd Chevrolet service department to store equipment that it currently keeps outside at its Williams Street headquarters.
County and Rescue Squad officials met shortly before Christmas about the Rescue Squad needs and came up with the idea of using the Boyd building. The county plans to use the property for a Hendersonville High School expansion but the project has not even been designed yet and is a long way from breaking ground.
"Basically, we'd use the dry storage to get things out of the weather," Rescue Squad Chief Jimmy Brissie said. "Trailers, things that are used more in disasters" and not on typical emergency calls.
Brissie said the Rescue Squad did not expect the county to spend any money on the garage. Volunteers will clean out the floor space and surrounding area with leaf blowers, he said, and so whatever work is required to make the space ready for the vehicles and equipment.
"That would allow us to get some relief at the Williams Street property, give us a little room down there," he said. "It's a short-term solution, kind of a Band-Aid for our long term."
The board authorized the staff to work out an agreement for use of the garage until the county and the school system are ready to start the HHS work.
Meanwhile, two commissioners pushed back County Manager Steve Wyatt's recommendation that the county hire an emergency services expert to help develop a solution for the needs of the Rescue Squad and the county Emergency Management operation. Wyatt recommended the expert work with the emergency services officials and some back in a year with a plan.
"I would prefer to see something happen a whole lot earlier," said Commissioner Tommy Thompson.
"I think we need to move on this," added board Chairman Charlie Messer. "There's a lot of moving parts in this. If we're doing a long term plan, I think that's where we need to go."