When a tornado devastated Utica in 2004, a response focus was the plight of people trapped when the Milestone tavern collapsed on top of them.

Unable to reach them as quickly as desired, local fire departments have since assembled the equipment to rescue people trapped in collapsed structures or trenches.

Tuesday, the La Salle County Board unanimously voted to provide the most important piece of equipment — a semitrailer to transport the gear to the emergency location.

The board voted to pick up $25,950 of the $27,950 cost for the purchase of a 2004 Volvo semi and a 1997 42-foot trailer.

The remaining $2,000 will be paid for by Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Division 25.

MABAS Division 25 is a mutual aid organization of 22 La Salle County fire departments and the county's Emergency Management Agency.

"By being able to purchase these vehicles we will be able to have all of our equipment loaded and ready to respond in a moment's notice to any emergency in the county," explained Mendota Fire Chief Dennis Rutishauser, the MABAS District 25 president.

There are 63 MABAS divisions in Illinois that also field 39 technical rescue teams.

"If something were to happen in this county, we could get any one or all of those 39 teams to come into our county to support us," said County Board member Rick Scott, D-Ottawa, a retired Ottawa Fire Department chief.

The semi is be housed within the county's new Emergency Management Agency building that is now under construction. The trailer would be parked outside.

MABAS Division 25 already has two other trailers, one in Mendota and the other in Streator, that carry rescue equipment for confined spaces and for "high angle" locations such as wind turbines, Rutishauser said.

In other business:

• County Board Chairman Jerry Hicks, D-Marseilles, said he will appoint five people to the La Salle County Forest Preserve District Board at the County Board's Nov. 30 meeting. He said the members will come from townships still in the forest preserve district.
• The county's $78 million 2009-2010 budget was distributed to County Board members. It is scheduled to be acted on at the County Board's Nov. 20 meeting. The budget is to be posted by some time on Wednesday at the County Board's Web site, www.lasallecounty.org.
• The county's 2009-2010 property tax levy ordinance was presented. The levy is up by 16 percent, meaning it will require a Truth In Taxation public hearing. That hearing has yet to be set. Officials have said the tax increase is to access the assessed valuation increase of the Exelon power plant in Brookfield Township, and will not raise taxes on homeowners.
• George McComb was reappointed to a three-year term as a Brookfield-Vienna Drainage District commissioner.
• John Lyons was appointed to replace John Kennedy as a commissioner for Wallace Drainage District No. 2. Kennedy retired. Lyons' term will expire on Oct. 1, 2012.