Cities managing fuel for public works, first responder vehicles amid power outages
Some cities are making sure enough fuel is available for public works departments and first responders amid unprecedented power outages in North Texas.
Rachel Reynolds, a spokeswoman for the city of Keller, said that the city has its own “mini gas station” in order to take advantage of lower fuel costs.
Keller has the pumps in its service center for unleaded gas and Diesel fuel.
“Unfortunately, our service center is in the ongoing rotating outages,” she said.
Reynolds said there is enough unleaded gasoline on hand for police vehicles and some public works vehicles, but the freezing temperatures is affecting the Diesel fuel for fire engines and public works equipment.
Reynolds said that there aren’t concerns at this time as far as first responders getting to calls as the city is making sure that the vehicles are “topped off.”
In Saginaw, City Manager Gabe Reaume said that he was at the main fire station on Tuesday morning helping firefighters get fuel for their trucks.
Power is out in most of the city, which includes gas stations, he said.
“We will be able to respond to calls,” Reaume said.
“There are excellent people in Saginaw and around the area working 24/7. Public works has been monitoring pump stations and the water system round the clock. We are sending patrol vehicles to get fuel one at a time where available. It’s a slow process, but we’ll see it through,” Reaume said.
Saginaw usually gets fuel from Tarrant County’s Precinct 4 station which isn’t operating because of the power outages, and the city is using credit cards at local gas stations, he said.
Matt Zavadsky, chief information officer for MedStar, said the ambulance provider has an account with QuikTrip with many locations in the area and does not have its own fuel station.
On Tuesday, MedStar responded to 377 on scene ambulance calls, including 19 for hypothermia and 21 related to power outages.