By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
A large wildfire swept through Pawnee County in late March 2022. The fire destroyed a residence and several other structures, and also damaged a pair of Larned Fire Department firetrucks. Senator Jerry Moran's office visited Larned shortly after the fire to survey the damage. Fourteen months later, last Monday, Moran was in Larned to announce a federal allocation of $1.142 million for the purchase of two new firetrucks and a mobile command center.
"They asked what they could do to help, and we kind of explained the processes that were out there with the match and the cost of the equipment," said Larned Mayor William Nusser. 'It's just really difficult financially for our city to put those pieces together to replace these items because trucks can get to $6-7-800,000."
The city has two new trucks picked out from Hays Fire and Rescue Sales and Service, but Nusser said it will take more than two years to get the trucks delivered.
"We've got that specced and ready," he said. "We know what we're going to replace. We've picked a model and everything. Even though it's been federally allocated, there is still a process. You have to go through quite a bit of paperwork to get the funds. We've got until Aug. 31 the price is held on the trucks to order. Then the lead time to even get the trucks is like a two-year build time."
Along with his stop in Larned on Monday, Moran also made a stop in Ellinwood to check progress on the new Ellinwood Hospital & Clinic.