The Mono County Sheriff's Office has completed the purchase of the Sprung Structure from the Mammoth Lakes Fire Department after several months of discussion and work between Chief Harper and the sheriff's office, Sheriff Rick Scholl said.
Until recently, the Sprung Structure had been used to house the fire engines and equipment during the construction of Fire Station 1. Through an agreement with the Fire District and the County, the structure will stay at its present location behind MLFD Station 1 until June 2009 but will be facilitated by the Mono County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Team. The purchase of the Sprung Structure will allow the team to now have their own building to house their equipment and vehicles.
The team was organized in the late 1960s by the Sheriff's Office. At that time, they stored their equipment in a small storage shed in June Lake. The team outgrew the storage shed within a few years and had been virtually "homeless" ever since.
Over the past several years the team has stored some of the vehicles at the U.S. Forest Service compound in Mammoth Lakes, some at the Crowley Lake Substation and one vehicle in Bridgeport.
With the purchase of the Sprung Structure the Search and Rescue Team will be able to keep their equipment and vehicles, including a brand new Ford F350 truck out of the elements and ready to respond to any search and rescue mission.
The Search and Rescue Team is a vital element of the Mono County Sheriff's Office.
Contact any member of the team or Sgt. Tim Minder or Sgt. Jeff Beard at Mono County Sheriff's Office (760)-932-7549 for more information.
