While many people can choose to walk or ride a bike to help defray ever-climbing fuel prices, most local emergency services don't have the same luxury and must deal with the problem without compromising public safety.

While emergency responders have not had to make cuts or major changes in their practices in light of the gas spike - prices are hovering near $3.80 per gallon in Helena - they might soon have to if the price creep does not stop.

Helena police can use bicycles to patrol downtown, but the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office patrols such a vast amount of land - at times rugged terrain - that there really are few options when it comes to gas conservation.

"When we have a county as big as the state of Delaware, we are going to have a difficult time," Sheriff Cheryl Liedle said.

The county is 3,498 square miles, which is actually quite a bit larger than Delaware's 2,490 square miles.

Helena police, who don't have as daunting a jurisdiction, have two motorcycles and about six officers trained to ride them. The plan for the next fiscal year is to add two more motorcycles to the fleet because they help cut down on gas costs, Chief Troy McGee said.

When the weather is conducive, both motorcycles are used in regular rotation as much as possible, he said. Bicycles also are used downtown when the weather is accommodating.

But bikes are not an option for the county when deputies in Helena have to respond to a call in Augusta, about 80 miles away. Liedle said she looked into motorcycles, but they wouldn't work because of the distance and because they could only be used a few months out of the year.

So her office has to be creative to find ways to cut its fuel costs.

Liedle has looked into hybrid vehicles for the command staff, who don't have to be on-scene first.

"We don't want to start limiting our patrol officers' mileage because you never know what the day will bring," she added.

Liedle said her office also explored having deputies share vehicles, but the mileage would add up too quickly and the maintenance costs would be unmanageable.

Other gas-saving options are operational tricks, such as shutting off patrol cars on traffic stops, she said.

In the current fiscal year, which ends in July, the sheriff's office budgeted $189,767 for fuel. That's gas for about 100 employees - including patrol, detention officers, investigation and the Lewis and Clark County Volunteer Fire Department - at an average of about $3.37 per gallon.

For 2009, Liedle has budgeted for a slight cut from last year - about $4,000 - hoping to take advantage of gas-saving practices like carpooling to training and reducing mileage for command staff, who can rely on their radios more.

"Those little things really add up, sometimes more than major changes," she said.

Both the fire and police departments' fuel budgets come out of the city's general fund. The city estimates the cost of gas for the coming year. For next fiscal year, it budgeted for $4-per-gallon pump prices, which, after the city is reimbursed for federal and state taxes, will be about $3.60 per gallon, Hauck said.

The police department averages about 26,000 gallons of unleaded gas per year. Its fuel budget grew from $56,600 in 2005 to $73,900 in 2007, according to Phil Hauck, assistant public works director. For fiscal year 2009, the department budgeted for 30,000 gallons at an estimated cost of $100,000.

The Helena Fire Department has budgeted for 3,900 gallons of unleaded and 4,000 gallons of diesel at an estimated cost of $29,000, Hauck said. This is up from $13,800 in 2005, $16,900 in 2006 and $19,300 in 2007.

City budget manager Robert Ricker said if prices skyrocket to more than the estimates, officials will take a look at the numbers and amend the budget if need be.

But some city departments can adjust their gas usage while others, like the fire department, simply can't: "If the bell goes off, they have to respond," Ricker said.

He said he hopes is doesn't come to that: "I'm just like you. I'm just hoping the gas prices aren't leaping forward."

Reporter Angela Brandt: 447-4078 or angela.brandt@helenair.com