Logansport Fire Department reports 53 alarms in January; chiefs detail Jan. 21 apartment hallway fire, council approves training use and hires new firefighter

Logansport Fire Chief Miller reported to the Board of Public Works and Safety on Feb. 19 that the department responded to 53 alarms in January and described a Jan. 21 structure fire at 504 Yorktown Road that required evacuation of eight apartments.

Chief Miller gave the department totals for January, as read to the board: "For the month of January, Logansport Fire Department answered a total of a 53 alarms. Of those, we had 1 structure fire, 8 false alarms, 4 vehicle fires, a hundred and 15 first responder calls, 2 extrication, 1 hazmat, 10 service calls, 5 smoke and odors, and 7 motor vehicle accidents." He added a location breakdown that included calls at residences, businesses, factories, a nursing home and schools.

Describing the structure fire, Chief Miller said crews were dispatched to "504 Yorktown Road for a structure fire. Crews were directed to a hallway of an apartment building. The building housed 8 apartments. There was smoke coming out of the hallway. Crews made entry and found smoldering fire in the insulation board on the walls. The fire was extinguished quickly." He noted challenging conditions: "The outside temperature was about negative 4 degrees Fahrenheit." Chief Miller credited coordinated agency response and inspections by the building commissioner and NIPSCO after the event.

Separately, the board approved adding an item to the agenda authorizing an internal pipe inspection for a city building on Eastgate after receiving a letter from the fire chief identifying deficiencies. The board also approved a motion granting the Logansport Fire Department permission to use the vacant property at 319 Montgomery Street for training exercises, "including, but not limited to, search and rescue. This property may not be used for live fire evolutions," a restriction recorded in the motion.

The board voted to hire Coby Hicks as a full‑time firefighter, with an effective hire date of Feb. 24, 2025. The personnel request submitted to the board states Hicks is a 2019 graduate of Lewis Cass High School, resides outside Galveston, has been employed with the Indiana Department of Transportation since Feb. 2019 and holds Indiana certifications in Firefighter I and II and hazmat awareness and operations. Hicks addressed the board and said, "I just wanna say thank you for the city of Logansport and the Logansport Fire Department for giving me this opportunity." The board approved the hire unanimously.

All fire‑related motions — acceptance of the monthly report, adding the pipe inspection item, authorization to use 319 Montgomery Street for training, and approval of the new hire — passed on unanimous votes by Chris Martin, Levi Jones and Jacob Palmasol.

Ending The board proceeded to other agenda items after adopting the fire department report and personnel action.