Delhi hires part‑time firefighter EMT, department reaches full staff; paramedic certifications and school safety work highlighted

Trustees moved to approve the hiring of Joseph P. Smith as a part‑time firefighter EMT effective Aug. 13, 2025, subject to pre‑employment physical and drug testing; the motion carried. "So with the hiring of Joseph here, this brings us up to full staff," Assistant Chief Helms told the board during department reports.

Helms also updated trustees on training and staffing: paramedic candidate Alex Reitmeier passed the national paramedic registry after about a nine‑ to ten‑month program. Helms said Reitmeier's prior service in the U.S. Air Force included air traffic controller training and praised the difficulty of the paramedic test.

The fire department said it completed safety inspections at local schools, including Mount St. Joseph and Oak Hills, and provided training for resident assistants and teachers on first aid, CPR, AEDs and the department's fire extinguisher simulator. Helms noted the importance of that training in light of a past dormitory fire at Mount St. Joseph in which an extinguisher was used by a resident. He asked residents not to block the fire station driveway on C.O. Harrison Road, reminding drivers that obstructing the station can delay emergency response.

Why it matters: The hire and recent certifications affect emergency response capacity; school inspections and training are timed with the start of classes and aim to reduce risk in schools and dormitories.