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Hopewell fire chief asks council for six firefighter positions, career-development funding and long-term apparatus plan
Summary
Fire Chief Rupert asked the City Council to add six firefighter/EMS positions, fund a career-development program and adopt a lease-based apparatus replacement approach to address rising call volume, aging stations and long equipment lead times.
Chief Rupert told the Hopewell City Council on March 26 that the fire department is facing a sustained increase in emergency medical services demand and personnel shortages and requested new staffing, a career-development line and a plan to replace aging apparatus.
The department is operating with fewer personnel than the National Fire Protection Association’s staffing benchmark for single-family structure fires and has modified schedules to recruit and retain advanced life‑support (ALS) providers. Chief Rupert said the department switched ALS staff to a 24/72 schedule that has attracted applicants and that the department has hired four new ALS providers since changing the schedule.
To fully staff the new schedule, Rupert requested three…
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