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Public safety briefings: hiring, equipment repairs and fire-investigator training reported
Summary
Fire and police department updates at the March 11 meeting covered staffing pipelines, equipment inspections and training: four breathing air packs failed inspection and are being sent for repair, several personnel are pursuing certified fire-investigator training, and the police department has candidates moving through informal interviews.
Columbia City — At its March 11 meeting the Common Council received public-safety updates from department leadership about staffing, equipment maintenance and training.
The fire department reported that four self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) packs failed inspection and have been sent for repair; staff emphasized SCBA maintenance as critical to firefighter safety. The department said it has begun hydrostatic testing on air bottles (a five-year requirement) and is sending units to meet the inspection deadline.
Staff also said four personnel are enrolled in Certified Fire Investigator (CFI) training, a state-recognized certification that allows the city to conduct origin-and-cause investigations without waiting for state investigators. The department noted that only one member, identified as Sturgeon in the briefing, was previously certified; the additional trainees will expand in-house investigative capacity.
The police department reported eight applicants have advanced to the informal-interview stage in the current hiring cycle and that recent multi-agency trainings and a statewide tornado drill involved dispatch staff. Work on the Police Training Building continues, including completion of an electrical panel and door painting; donated materials for dugout roof construction were also noted.
No formal personnel appointments or budget authorizations were recorded during the meeting; the report items were informational updates on operations and training.
