Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fire Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fire leaders report 32% rise in calls since 2020, plan staffing additions and equipment purchases
Summary
Fire department briefed the committee on staffing growth, adding three firefighter‑paramedics in 2025, purchase of three ZOLL ventilators, HVAC replacement plans for Station 38 and other operational changes tied to rising call volumes.
The Perrysburg Fire Division told the Board & Committees it has seen a significant rise in calls for service and outlined staffing increases, equipment purchases and planned facility upgrades.
Fire Chief (title given in meeting transcript) said the department handled about 3,584 calls in 2024, up from just over 2,700 in 2020 — a roughly 32% increase across five years. "That's a significant increase by any measure," the chief said, noting both fire and EMS calls contributed to the increase and that senior living facilities account for a sizable share of EMS incidents.
Staffing: the department added three firefighter positions in 2024 (a net gain that equates to one additional firefighter per shift), and the 2025 budget includes three more firefighter‑paramedic positions. The chief explained scheduling rules and the contractual "Kelly day" relief factor that affect minimum daily staffing, saying additional hires may not immediately raise the minimum staffing floor but should reduce how often the department drops to minimums.
Equipment and capital projects: the chief said the department plans to purchase three replacement EMS ventilators from ZOLL at a quoted cost of $65,062.55; the purchase is included in capital legislation that the chief said received a first reading at council. The department also is in the design and RFP phase for a Station 38 HVAC replacement; $455,000 was budgeted for that project in the 2025 capital budget.
Other items: the apparatus committee completed a final inspection of a new fire engine (originally ordered in 2021), which is expected to enter service in roughly 60 days pending dealer and tooling work. The department will surplus Engine 997 (a 1997 model) after repairs and disposition decisions. The division announced procedural changes to lift assist and medical alarm responses to reduce unnecessary emergency driving for calls that seldom require transport: engines will respond non‑emergent for many of those calls and transport units will be requested only when needed.
The department also confirmed the donation of 12 CPR mannequins and two AED trainers to the Safety Council of Northwest Ohio and announced the upcoming retirement of Captain Joel Whitmore, who will be honored at a department event.
The committee received the updates for information; specific council approvals (for ventilators and major capital work) were described as pending formal legislative action at council.
