Minutes 10-14-2025-Joint Meeting w/Fire Department

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10 Chief Cabe said there were complaints from community members that the smoke noise disturbs them. He explained that the training facility was built before the surrounding neighborhoods were built so it was not an issue until then. Commissioner Greene asked if the trouble is finding a new site. Chief Cabe said yes. Chief Potter said they also want to relocate Station 4, which is another reason for the delay. Commissioner Greene asked what the new Orange Rural training center would do. Chief Cabe explained that Orange Rural is building a training facility at Piedmont Minerals (owned by RESCO Products)outside Hillsborough on two acres of leased land. He explained that this will keep their trucks in the district, and will keep their personnel in the district, so they can go from training to response without having to drive all the way from Chapel Hill back to Hillsborough. This addresses ISO requirements for training at designated facilities while keeping trucks and personnel in-district for response. He said the facility will include a burn structure, rappelling capabilities, confined space, and forcible entry training. Chapel Hill's Weaver Dairy facility includes classrooms and a drill tower in addition to burn capabilities. Chief Cave noted the Hillsborough Fire Department is in early construction permitting stages, using shipping containers welded together, which creates permitting challenges. The Piedmont Minerals location offers appropriate setbacks from residences in an already loud, dusty environment. Chair Bedford asked how the new facility would be paid for. Chief Cabe said Orange Rural is self-funding the facility from budget savings, having previously funded Waterstone improvements. Chief Cabe mentioned that Orange Rural ordered an engine 18 months ago for $1.1 million with expected delivery in 2027, compared to $460,000 for the last similar unit. Chair Bedford asked Emergency Services Director, Kirby Saunders, if the pandemic-era delays for ambulances are continuing. Kirby Saunders explained that a congressional hearing recently addressed these issues, with initial pandemic-related labor shortages and inflation now resolved, but prices remaining high. One conglomerate controls about 80% of the market for both fire apparatus and ambulances, with local impacts including delays, cost overruns, and increased maintenance costs. Chair Bedford said it sounds like a national issue, and Congresswoman Foushee and the two state senators should be kept informed. Chief Matthew Mauzy said it is a national issue and is not just fire trucks, but ambulances as well. He said in the last couple of weeks, his department took delivery of an ambulance that had been on order for almost two years. He said they just signed a contract three months ago for an ambulance that won't be delivered until the middle of 2028. He reiterated that what departments were already planning to do now has to back up months and months, and years in many cases, ahead of time,just so they can forecast out and take delivery in a reasonable amount of time to lifecycle the existing apparatus. Kirby Saunders added a point about the station the county is working on with Chapel Hill. He said a site feasibility study is being done, and the ambulance that will go in that station was ordered a year ago,just to try to have an ambulance by the time the brick and mortar is complete. He explained that the county is having to forecast and advance purchase equipment two years ahead to maintain operational fleets. Chief Potter shared that some manufacturers come back after contracts are signed to request additional funds due to the increased cost of manufacturing.