Illinois Fire Chiefs present staffing study; council hears options including 6-station automatic-aid model

Illinois Fire Chiefs Association consultants presented a staffing and operations review to the South Beloit City Council on Aug. 4, 2025, reviewing the city’s intergovernmental agreement (IGA) for fire staffing and outlining options if the current Town of Beloit staffing arrangement proves unsustainable.

The report matters because it assesses whether the IGA is meeting the city’s legal and operational needs and offers concrete models — including a proposed 6-station automatic-aid model — that would change how fire protection is delivered across South Beloit and neighboring jurisdictions.

Dan Markowski, a retired fire chief who spoke for the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, told the council the panel conducted a two‑phase review: first, a close reading of the IGA; second, an examination of the history and staffing model that led to the present arrangement. "What you're experiencing is no different than many other fire departments throughout this country," Markowski said, describing a long-term decline in volunteer and part‑time staffing and higher certification requirements that have increased training and time burdens on potential responders.

The consultants…