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Painesville fire chief reports sharp rise in calls, expands training and community safety programs
Summary
The Painesville Fire Department told City Council it handled more calls and increased training in 2024–2025, outlined outreach like smoke‑detector installs and Knox lockbox installs, and reviewed grant and capital plans.
Painesville Fire Chief gave City Council an overview of department activity on a busy 2024 and an equally active 2025 so far, saying the department had “64 fires in 2024 and already 27 year to date this year” and detailed expanded training and community programs.
The chief said the department handled 3,266 emergency medical service calls in 2024 and 1,137 year‑to‑date in 2025, and that 2025 included the busiest January on record and the busiest single month in March. “We do more than just firefighting,” the chief told council, listing hazardous‑condition calls, false alarms and service calls as part of the workload.
The presentation stressed increased training: nearly 3,000 man‑hours in 2024 (about 108 hours per person) and 1,578 hours so far in 2025. The chief said the department is emphasizing technical rescue, officer development and cross‑agency work; he described a recent river technical‑rescue training with 34 personnel from Lake County departments that aided a rescue the following week.
Council members also heard about community safety programs. The department reported installing more than 250 smoke detectors through a Red Cross partnership and said a planned carbon‑monoxide detector giveaway is under discussion with a Lake Erie College student project. The department installed seven new Knox residential lockboxes last year and has 44 total in the community; residents can request installation via the fire administration office for a suggested $20 annual donation that funds further boxes.
On grants and capital needs, the chief said the department will reapply for staffing funds through the SAFR program if it opens, seek radios through an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) regional application, and continue pursuing EMS grants; last year the department received $3,200 used for CPR equipment. He said capital purchases (a second squad remount and a potential chassis replacement) are paid from the fire levy and do not touch the city general fund.
Councilmembers praised the department’s work. “Department does a great job. Thank you for the wealth of information this evening,” a council member said during the meeting.
The chief closed by outlining ongoing plans: continuing technical and hazmat training, expanding hydrant inspections after problems with frozen hydrants, promoting lieutenants later in 2025, and pursuing grants and equipment to support wildland/park response and possible vehicle access to a future parking garage.
No formal council action was taken on the presentation; the session was informational.
