Rice County Commissioners Approve DNR Grant

The Rice County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources equipment grant for the Sheriff's Office.  Water Patrol Supervisor Lieutenant Joe Yetzer made the request on behalf of the Sheriff's Department.

Yetzer told Commissioners, "This year we submitted a request to the DNR to acquire ten ice rescue suits and also a buddy line communication line which is basically a communications system that would be for the Rice County Dive Team.  The current system right now is, last week it was failing us, we were losing communication between our divers and our surface personnel.  So that would be a much needed item.  Currently Rice County has just two suits.  By upgrading to ten suits we would be able to put more suits into squad cars so you don't always have to wait for fire and rescue to arrive on scene."

Yetzer added, "With this grant totaling $7,351 there is a 25 percent county contribution on the dive team equipment, not the ice rescue suits.  Our 25 percent would be approximately $467 dollars."

Commissioner Jake Gillen made the motion to approve the contract for the equipment.  Commissioner Galen Malecha seconded the motion.