Solomon Crenshaw Jr.
Homewood Fire Chief Brandon Broadhead says an agreement to share reserve equipment with Mountain Brook will help the community be better prepared in a time of emergency.
The Homewood City Council Monday night authorized the mayor to sign an agreement in which the Homewood and Mountain Brook fire departments can borrow equipment from one another.
“Basically, what that agreement does (is) it allows us to share reserve equipment,” Homewood Fire Chief Brandon Broadhead told the Homewood Star. “Homewood has a reserve engine and a reserve ariel. Mountain Brook has one. But if they happen to run out, if for some reason they have some major breakdown, they can now borrow one from us through this agreement that we just signed on Monday, and vice versa.
“If we run out of our trucks or have some catastrophic failure, we can borrow a fire engine from them instead of having to rent or purchase another one in the short term,” the chief said. “It's really critical because our trucks now take a little over three years to build. Their lead time is about 30 months from the time you order one until you get one.”
In other action, the council:
- Appointed Nancy Womack to an at-large position on the Homewood Environmental Committee.
- Upgraded the PC Network Tech position to a Network Systems Administrator in the city’s IT Department.
- Adopted the Division G multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan.
- Established an agreement with the Regional Training Institute for clinical rotations with the Homewood Fire Department.
- Approved budget amendments Public Works transfer funds for street materials and supplies, and for the Parks Department to transfer funds for new employees to travel to a conference.
- Expanded the entertainment district in West Homewood.
- Authorized an ordinance to prevent non-authorized vehicles on Shades Creek Greenway. This includes but is not limited to motorcycles, golf carts, motorized scooters and motorized skateboards. Exceptions are electric bicycles, devices used in the transport of handicapped or disabled persons and devices used for official purpose by employees of the city.
- Set a public hearing for consideration to rezone 2917 Linden Avenue from C-1 (Office Building District) to C-4(a) (Retail Shopping District) to facilitate its redevelopment for appropriate retail uses. That hearing will be at 6 p.m. on July 8.
- Set a public hearing for a requested sign variance at The Edge, 817 Green Springs Highway. That hearing will be at 6 p.m. on June 24.
