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Fire department reports year-over-year rise in calls; joint recruit academy under way
Summary
The fire department reported higher 2024 call volumes, strong inspection and training activity, a new joint recruit academy with Monroe Fire, and budgeted purchases for a replacement engine and rescue truck.
Fire department staff reported operational and staffing updates during the Jan. 21 meeting, including an increase in calls for service and new joint training activity with county partners.
Staff said December had 571 calls for service and the year totaled 6,453 calls — 492 more than 2023 and roughly a 30% increase compared with five years ago. Rescue, emergency medical services (EMS) and false alarms remained the highest categories. Staff reported that 88% of calls were within the city, 12% on the Indiana University campus and less than 1% outside the city. On the IU campus staff said about 62% of those campus calls were false/pulse alarms and 24% were EMS-related.
First-arriving units met a four-minute response standard for 64% of fire-related calls in December, staff reported. Fire prevention staff said they exceeded inspection goals set by the fire marshal; next year the department plans to switch to tracking only state-mandated inspections while continuing to log other prevention activities for internal use.
Training activity included recruit EMT instruction: four of five recruits completed a 17-day EMT class and the department had begun a first joint recruit academy with Monroe Fire. Mobile integrated health services reported an average of 11.1 visits per client; staff gave examples of outcomes including reconnecting clients to primary care and obtaining benefits and documentation.
On expenditures, staff said the department has budgeted for a replacement engine and a replacement rescue truck and has initiated the acquisition process. Personnel notes: five staff are on light duty, two on work-comp sick leave and one on parental leave; overall the department is down one position. Staff said promotions may be considered at a future meeting.
Staff and board members also discussed the department’s outreach to people experiencing homelessness and routine checks of encampments during extreme cold, and they thanked employees for recent community service such as food drives and individual assistance to residents.
