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Eaton Fire Department reports uptick in calls and outlines equipment upgrades
Summary
The fire chief told the Eaton City Council that calls are up about 14% year-to-date and described planned equipment purchases, radio replacements and recent training and community outreach.
The Eaton fire chief presented the department’s annual operations update to the City Council on April 21, reporting a roughly 14% increase in call volume year-to-date and outlining planned equipment purchases and recent training.
The department said it is proceeding to order a medium-duty Braun Freightliner ambulance to replace a 2014 medic unit; delivery was described as 20–24 months from order. The chief said replacing the older ambulance will extend the fleet’s life cycle and reduce maintenance demands.
Other equipment projects described included replacement of first-generation portable radios purchased in 2016, procurement of rugged tablets for apparatus for reporting and command functions, and a newer, lighter low-pressure fire hose (a 50-foot section reported to be about eight pounds lighter than earlier hose). The department noted it applied for a grant to help cover radio costs and received $2,000 toward that effort.
The chief highlighted community programs and training: station tours, school career-day participation, Operation Santa and other outreach events, two $1,000 scholarships for local seniors entering fire/EMS or health-care fields, and a large regional tanker-task-force training at the fairgrounds with 75 participants from 44 departments.
Council and staff asked questions about delivery timelines and funding; city staff later brought a related resolution to authorize the ambulance purchase for council approval during the business portion of the meeting.
