Mount Vernon details fire, EMS upgrades and prevention push

Mount Vernon officials on Oct. 14 outlined new equipment purchases, changes to emergency medical services and stepped-up fire-prevention work intended to reduce structure fires and improve response times.

The mayor’s weekly Mount Vernon Mondays update brought Fire Commissioner Kevin Holt, Chief of Operations (name given in the recording as Juan Peralta and later as Juan Puente), Deputy Commissioner Teddy Beal, Fire Inspector Silver Jones and EMT dispatcher Tony Everett to discuss staffing, training, inspections, outreach and recent operational changes.

"The mission of the Mount Vernon Fire Department is to preserve life, protect property, and safeguard the community by responding to emergencies while also focusing on prevention, preparedness, and education," Commissioner Kevin Holt said.

Why it matters: Mount Vernon averages roughly 11,500 calls a year in a 4.3-square-mile city. Officials said investments in vehicles, training and cross-agency coordination are intended to lower response times and reduce preventable incidents such as kitchen and heating-related fires.

Officials said the city is in the process of acquiring two new Pierce pumpers to replace aging apparatus, and that the purchase is being funded through a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development community development block grant. "These, apparatuses will be set to come into the city of Mount Vernon hopefully by December. And the good news of it all is is that 0 cost to the taxpayers," Holt said.

Fire Department staffing and deployment: Holt said Mount Vernon operates four firehouses (Lincoln Avenue on the north side; Griffinson Valentino on the south side; Station 2 on Fulton Avenue on the east side; and a temporary Station 4 on the west side), four engine companies and two ladder trucks. He said the department has about 117 firefighters, 10 probationary firefighters in the academy, 24 lieutenants, six captains, six deputy chiefs, 12 dispatchers and three fire inspectors, for roughly 153 uniformed personnel when excluding the commissioner and deputy commissioner.

Training and mutual aid: Chief of Operations (identified in the recording as Juan Peralta and later as Juan Puente) emphasized training and cross-training with neighboring departments including Yonkers, New Rochelle, Pelham Manor and Eastchester. "Training is the backbone of every fire department," he said, adding that the department coordinates drills and evacuation planning with the Mount Vernon Police Department, the office of emergency management and the school district.

Inspections and prevention: Deputy Commissioner Teddy Beal and Inspector Silver Jones described the Fire Prevention Bureau’s work. Beal said the department conducts more than 40 types of inspections, noting two priorities: public assembly inspections for locations that hold 49 or more people and certificate-of-occupancy/tenancy reviews tied to property transactions.

Beal stressed heating-season safety and equipment maintenance: "Right now, we're in heating season. It's suggested strongly suggested by this department nationwide. The NFPA, National Fire Protection Institute, strongly recommends that you get your oil burner serviced before heating season. Westchester County started heating season on October 1, and it goes through May 31," he said, adding that residents can report heat complaints to a 24-hour number, (914) 665-2626, or the fire prevention office at (914) 665-2611. Inspector Jones invited residents to two free open-house events: Oct. 15 at Fire Station 3, 50 West Third Street, and Oct. 23 at Fire Headquarters, Station 1, 470 East Lincoln Avenue, both from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Utilities and product safety: Inspectors urged use of manufacturer-approved lithium-ion batteries and products with a UL label. "Always look for the UL label on an extension cord," Beal said, adding that counterfeit or uncertified power strips can increase risk.

EMS redesign and community paramedicine: EMT dispatcher Tony Everett described a redesign of Mount Vernon’s EMS system begun in 2024. Officials said the city expanded ambulance coverage from two 24-hour units plus a 12-hour unit to four ambulances and launched a proactive community paramedicine/mobile integrated health program.

"We came up with a hybrid approach to, a new EMS system. We expanded our fleet coverage from 2 ambulances 24 hours and 1 12 to 4," Everett said, adding that the changes have reduced average response times from roughly 10–13 minutes to about 6.5–7.5 minutes and cut mutual-aid requests from a high of 651 in 2022 to as few as one or two per week many weeks.

Everett said more than 100 patients are enrolled in the community paramedicine program and that enrolled patients have a dedicated hotline separate from 911 so medics can provide targeted in-home follow-up care.

What officials did not decide or specify: speakers described ongoing plans and current implementations but did not report a city council vote, contract award number, or a binding procurement resolution recorded in the update. The timeline for the two pumpers remains "hopefully by December," and staffing or budget changes tied to sustained EMS expansion were described as programmatic adjustments rather than adopted ordinances.

Looking ahead: Officials asked residents to maintain smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors, follow fire-safety guidance for heaters and cooking, and attend the upcoming fire-prevention open houses.

"The Mount Vernon Fire Department is here to serve the citizens of Mount Vernon," Commissioner Holt said. "We're dedicated. We're committed."