State Rep’s advocacy brings special use fire truck to southeast Oakland County in state’s FY22 budget 

 

LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan House of Representatives passed a budget that includes historic investments in education, health care, child care, and infrastructure. It also provides $500,000 for a Special Operations and Response (SOAR) vehicle for the Bloomfield Township Fire Department. State Rep. Mari Manoogian (D-Birmingham) issued the following statement in support of the budget’s passage:

“The safety of our community is always at the forefront of my mind. When I spoke to our city and township officials during last February’s appropriations process, the need for a new SOAR vehicle for use by all of the OAKWAY Mutual Aid fire departments stood out to me as a must-have. Though state funding priorities shifted because of the COVID-19 pandemic, my opinions remained the same: this was an absolutely necessity, and I was committed to making it happen. By providing a SOAR vehicle to the Bloomfield Township Fire Department for use by all of the OAKWAY fire departments in southeast Oakland County, this investment will keep the brave first responders safe when they respond to an emergent situation”

The SOAR vehicle has multiple capabilities, including technical rescue, HAZMAT, vehicle extrication, scene lighting, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus fill station, and traffic control boards. It serves as traffic control and scene protection for civilians and first responders. The current vehicle used across southeast Oakland County is quickly approaching the end of its life and needs replacing.

“Though no budget is perfect, I was proud to cast yes votes on these two budget bills today. These budgets included historic funding increases to our public universities and community colleges, supported Governor Whitmer’s ambitious Healthy Moms Healthy Babies program, and will finally put us on the pathway to fixing the damn roads. Not only that, but with support for Pure Michigan, Going Pro, and Michigan Reconnect, I am confident that our state’s economy will have what it needs to rebound from COVID-19”.

Rep. Mari Manoogian represents the communities of Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, and the eastern portion of West Bloomfield Township. In addition to serving as Deputy Whip for the Michigan House Democratic Caucus, she is also the Minority Vice-Chair of the House Committee on Energy and is a member of the House Committee on Commerce and Tourism. 

 

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