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Kankakee fire chief reports staffing shortfall, apparatus timeline and electric-vehicle safety outreach
Summary
At the June 3 public safety meeting, Fire Chief LaRoche reported staffing at 45–47 personnel, vehicle maintenance and repair costs, plans for a used ambulance to enter reserve service in July, and described unique firefighting challenges tied to electric-vehicle batteries; council approved $79,204.66 in fire bills.
Fire Chief LaRoche told the Kankakee City public safety meeting on June 3 that the department is staffed below budgeted levels and is working to fill vacancies while managing vehicle maintenance, EMS billing and a public outreach effort about electric-vehicle fire hazards.
LaRoche said, “Right now, we have 47 for the month of May, we had 47 firefighters, full time career. We are now at 46. We had had, firefighter resign on May 30. We are budgeted for 51.” Later in the report he said the department has 45 active personnel (reflecting staff off on long-term injury and other assignments).
The chief reviewed bills and vehicle repairs for May. He reported total bills of $79,204.66 for the month and said vehicle maintenance expenditures were $8,331.69 (correcting an earlier figure…
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