Beaufort County Sheriff Alan Jordan wants new equipment to help evacuate the county’s jail should that need arise again.

The Beaufort County Board of Commissioners was expected to discuss the requests during its meeting last night.

In June, inmates were evacuated from the jail because of an electrical issue. Those inmates continue to be housed in other detention facilities are repairs and equipment upgrades are being made to the jail.

“In the weeks after these evacuations we have documented and discussed several deficiencies in the emergency evacuation plan of our Detention Center,” wrote Capt. Charlie Rose, of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, in a letter to County Manager Randell Woodruff. “These deficiencies need to be address and equipment items purchased as soon as possible. We can then update our emergency evacuation plan for our Detention Center.”

Rose’s letter calls for buying 100 additional restraints (handcuffs, leg irons and belly chains) at a cost of $7,500. Currently, the jail has 20 sets of restraints. Rose also requests six self-contained breathing apparatus to help protect jailer and others helping evacuate inmates from areas where smoke and/or toxic fumes are present. The six apparatus would cost $9,600 ($1,600 each).

“During this evacuation we realized that without power, the cell block doors would have to be opened manually. This could not be completed quickly or efficiently by fire department personnel. Detention Officers would be needed to unlock the doors. Self-contained breathing apparatus would be needed by any personnel working in an area where toxic fumes are located,” Rose wrote.

Rose also requests three buses equipped for proper inmate transport. The captain suggests buying three surplus inmate-transfer buses from the N.C. Department of Correction at a total cost of $10,500. Those buses would be properly equipped and ready to operate, Rose noted.

“We must be able to keep inmates safe and properly maintain order over them at all times. In total, the requested amount is approximately $27,600.00 with the variance being the purchase price of buses. With the equipment requested in this memorandum we will be more able to protect and served the citizens of Beaufort County,” Rose wrote.