Adair County Emergency Management Coordinator Robert Kempf reports the Adair & Guthrie County Emergency Management Agencies have added a Polaris Ranger UTV to the resources available to local responders and jurisdictions in Adair & Guthrie Counties. The Ranger is equipped with a Kimtek MedBed for the transport of injured or sick medical patients and a radio for communications with other responders and both dispatch centers in the counties. The equipment is transported on a 14-foot equipment trailer. The equipment has been used by local responders at least 10 days each month since it arrived in middle July.

Each year, local responders and government officials have times that they are in need of an off road vehicle, smaller vehicle. They need it for searches for missing individuals, inspection of crime scene, monitoring crowds and responding to medical issues at local events to name just a few.

Kempf said “Several of the Law Enforcement, Fire and EMS Departments have considered purchasing this type of equipment over the years. The cost for the equipment was too much for most departments. Having one set of equipment available to all department was a much more fiscal solution.”

The cost of the equipment totaled approximately $28,000.00. Many local entities helped in the financing of the equipment. Contributions to the cost were received from the Schildberg Foundation ($15,000.00), Guthrie County Community Foundation ($5,000.00) and West Central Coop (1,500.00). Guthrie County Emergency Management provided the radio valued at $2,000.00. The remaining $4,500.00 was paid for out of the Adair & Guthrie County Emergency Management budgets that are supported by the 14 towns and 2 counties.

Jeremy Cooper, Chairman of the Guthrie County Emergency Management Commission, said “This project would not have been possible without the cooperation of both the private and public sector’s working together in our counties” said, “That is what emergency management is about, everyone working together to plan for, respond to and recover from disasters and emergencies.”

Kempf added “The jurisdictions and local responder departments can contact my office to reserve to equipment for use at community events. The equipment is always available 24/7/365 for use in emergency situation through the county dispatch centers.”