By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
As the Barton County Commission was in the process of approving a vehicle purchase for the Emergency Management department on Tuesday, Emergency Risk Manager Sean Kelly told the commission we’re going to get a great taste of Mother Nature over the next 48 hours. The pre-spring Kansas swing will be in full effect.
"There were 105 counties in the state under a red flag warning Tuesday for low humidity, high winds and warm temperatures," said Kelly. "Then we make a 90-degree swing and see blizzard-like conditions for the northwest portion of the state. Those 48 hours are going to be a run around for state resources and county emergency management."
A high-wind warning is in effect until 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 19. Following the patchy, blowing snow Wednesday, the forecast has sunny conditions and a high temperature set at 60 degrees the following day.
Barton County Emergency Management was searching for a full-size SUV to bolster the department’s preparedness and response efforts. The Great Bend Police Department was selling a 2017 Tahoe that comes fully equipped to be used as a mobile Emergency Operations Center and Incident Command support during a major incident.
The Commission approved the $20,000 purchase with available monies in the Equipment Replacement Fund.