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Fire and police chiefs report on EV fire preparedness and recent criminal convictions
Summary
The fire chief described new EV fire response measures and ongoing hiring and training; the police chief summarized three investigations that resulted in guilty pleas, including an Internet Crimes Against Children case and a fatal assault investigation.
Chief Eisneracker of the Grandview Heights Fire Department told the council that the department is preparing for electric vehicle incidents by putting a fire blanket into service and coordinating with local parking-garage operator NRI, which has installed three EV charging stations in city garages. "With our fire blanket, with water, we can cool them down and then we can get them to where a tow truck can haul them away," he said, explaining that EV battery fires can require extended cooling and containment.
Eisneracker said the department is continuing a robust recruitment and training effort. A medic position posting will stay open through June 7; the department used a social-media campaign that drew substantial attention. He also described sending members to intensive live-fire training and sharing acquired structures for local drills.
The chief of police reported three major case outcomes: a local resident, a former public defender identified as Steven Chen, pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual exploitation material and faces federal sentencing in June; Jacob Lawrence pleaded guilty to reckless homicide in the death of Steven Albright from late 2023 and is scheduled for sentencing next week; and Matthew Spencer pleaded guilty to attempted abduction from an incident in December 2024. The police chief credited Detective units and a long-standing partnership with the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in one of the cases.
The police chief also reported vehicle crash responses that damaged a patrol cruiser and a serious motorcycle crash on Delma Road; the motorcycle rider remains in intensive care. The department said bike patrol units are active for the season and encouraged residents to secure valuables and report suspicious behavior to the non-emergency number.
No formal policy changes or budget requests were made by either department during the May 12 meeting. The recorded items were presented as departmental updates.
