The Newark City Council Finance Committee voted 5-0 to authorize the mayor to apply for firefighter exposure-to-environment grants offered by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.

City staff described the equipment the fire department plans to request under the grant: hoods with barrier protection, washable gloves and a diesel exhaust removal system for Station 2. A fire department representative described the exhaust-removal system’s operation and health rationale: “What it does is it hooks to the actual exhaust pipe of the boat vehicles. So this way there, the diesel exhaust is actually being emitted outside the building. This is a good opportunity for us to actually get that corrected at Station 2 due to the confines of the quarters that are being so tight. … [Diesel] exhaust is linked to several cancers,” the representative said.

A member of the public, Michelle Bowman Smith of 237 Bythe Court, spoke during public comment to support further measures for firefighter health: “I think this is a good beginning. I don’t think it covers all the things that I think are necessary to help the firefighters against the dangers that are presented by cancer and their occupation. They don’t get enough help,” she said, and asked the city to explain additional plans the fire department and city have to address the issue.

Committee members approved Resolution 25-62 to pursue the state grant application and forwarded the measure to the full council by unanimous vote. City staff confirmed the equipment purchases are expected in 2026 if the grant is awarded. Several members noted the confined quarters at Station 2 as the reason for prioritizing a diesel exhaust removal system; no additional funding appropriation was made at the committee meeting.