Once fortified with a power generator, Warsaw City Hall will be ready to serve as an emergency operations center in the event of a crisis. InkFreeNews file photo.

WARSAW – Warsaw City Hall will have a permanent emergency back-up generator in place within a few months, according to Fire Chief Mike Wilson.

City Council took a step in that direction Monday, Dec. 2, when it approved transferring $50,000 for the purchase of a generator.

The city lined up the $50,000 from Indiana Homeland Security for the purchase. The city must first buy it and will then be reimbursed.

Wilson said they expect the total cost to be less than $85,000.

Warsaw-Wayne Fire Chief Mike Wilson is pictured earlier this year at a city council meeting. InkFreeNew file photo.

The diesel generator will be installed in the southeast corner of the city hall parking lot and will likely be concealed behind a fence.

While the equipment will be considered permanent, it can be towed to another location if needed elsewhere in the Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory.

“It’s a dual purpose. It’s to be used for emergencies within the fire territory, but its primary use is here (at city hall),” Wilson said.

Once in place, it will give city officials confidence that city hall could serve as an emergency operations center in the event of a crisis. It will also ensure city departments will be able to continuously communicate and share data through its servers during emergencies.

Last year, city hall faced several power outages, Wilson said.

Right now, the three-story building relies on a power backup supply that is limited.

The generator is similar to the one used by Indiana’s Homeland Security District 2 and housed in Warsaw by the Fire Territory. That district includes Kosciusko, Elkhart, St. Joseph, Starke, Pulaski, Marshall and Fulton counties.

Bid specs written by the city engineer will be disseminated to prospective bidders on Tuesday.

Bids are scheduled to be opened at the city Board of Works and Safety meeting on Dec. 20 and one will likely be chosen quickly in hopes of finalizing the acquisition by the end of the year, Wilson said.

Wilson said it will take 90 days after the purchase before it is installed and ready.

In another matter, city council renewed two appointments to the city’s redevelopment commission. Rick Snodgrass and city councilman Michael Klondaris were reappointed unanimously.