Bucks County Blog

Bucks County Commissioners Make Critical Public Safety Vehicle Assignments

November 7th, 2007

During a news conference at the Bucks County Emergency Operations Center in Ivyland, Bucks County Commissioners Charles H. Martin, chairman and James F. Cawley, Esq. joined county Emergency Services Director John Dougherty, Bucks County Sheriff Duke Donnelly, Bucks County Corrections Director Harris Gubernick, Lower Makefield Twp. Police Chief Ken Coluzzi, Lower Southampton Fire Company Assistant Chief Thomas O’Brien and other officials from Lower Makefield and Lower Southampton townships to assign two county vehicles to the ongoing expansion and improvement of regional response capabilities. Commissioner Sandra A. Miller and Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett were unable to attend.

One of the vehicles was assigned to the Lower Makefield Twp. Police Department, to transport the township’s two bomb detection dogs (Jasmine and Bishop) and one drug detection dog (Kendo). The other was donated to the Lower Southampton Fire Company, to carry a swift water rescue equipment trailer, as well as equipment from the Bucks County Technical Rescue Team. The bomb dogs and the equipment trailer were funded by Department of Homeland Security funding that was secured by the Pennsylvania Southeast Regional Counter Terrorism Task Force – which is chaired by Dougherty.

“It is our pleasure to assign county assets to both of these very worthy response units – which enhance interoperability for neighboring municipalities and counties,” Chairman Martin said. “This will save money, as well, representing a win-win situation for taxpayers.”

Commissioner Cawley pointed out the role both first-response units play in regional response capabilities, noting, “In Bucks County, we are extremely proud of the resources we commit to public safety. We will continue to be a leader in regional response planning and operation. So much of what our emergency management and first-response community does is work behind the scenes. When our responders need the specific abilities of a bomb or drug dog or a swift water/technical rescue operation, these vehicles will be a valuable asset in conducting those maneuvers.”

Chairman Martin also noted that both vehicles will be painted and detailed by students from Bucks County’s technical high schools – an additional cost-cutting measure that will serve as an educational outlet for the students.

“We must note that partnerships are the essence of emergency preparedness and our Ready Bucks campaign,” Commissioner Cawley said, adding that the EOC 911 Communications Annex is scheduled for a spring, 2008 opening. “This is all part of an ever-widening plan for Bucks County and the region.”

Entry Filed under: Bucks County News