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Rossford installs five full-time firefighters; council accepts AFG grant and approves ambulance purchase amid citizen concerns about part-time staffing
Summary
Council swore in new full-time firefighters, accepted a roughly $124,000 AFG grant (with a 10% local match) and authorized purchase of a budgeted ambulance; public commenters criticized changes to part-time staffing and sought transparency about payroll and contracts.
Rossford City Council on Oct. 13 ceremonially sworn in a new class of full-time firefighters and voted to accept a federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and to authorize a budgeted ambulance purchase for the fire department.
Why it matters: The new hires and equipment purchases affect emergency-response capacity. The meeting also included extended public comment from residents raising concerns about part-time firefighter staffing changes and job-status decisions at the department.
What council did and staff said - Swearing-in: Council conducted an oath for members of the department’s newest class (staff identified this as class No. 4), a step officials said will bring Rossford up to 16 full-time firefighters.
- AFG grant acceptance: Chief Siroka said the city was awarded an AFG grant of “a little over $124,000” to buy equipment; the city’s municipal match is 10 percent. The chief told council the grant would fund two new automatic external defibrillators/advanced devices and other equipment; the grant-writer fee was cited in the meeting as roughly $8,700. Council approved a voice vote to accept the grant.
- Ambulance purchase: Council adopted ordinance 2025-86 to authorize the administration to enter a purchase agreement for a new ambulance. Staff said the ambulance was budgeted at $400,000 and that the purchase price came in under budget (staff cited approximately $370,000). Finance said the money was already budgeted and no additional appropriation was requested.
Public comment and staffing concerns Residents used the public-comment period to press the council and administration about part-time firefighter staffing and personnel decisions. Gary O’Kanich (a resident) raised concerns about an ordinance noted in public remarks that would reduce part-time firefighter positions and listed departures of several named part-time personnel. O’Kanich said he had documentation about staffing schedules and that the department had recently requested coverage for multiple shifts. The mayor and staff responded that day-to-day personnel decisions are operational matters under the fire chief’s authority.
Mayor and staff remarks emphasized that the chief, battalion chief and deputy chief are responsible for daily operations and hiring decisions, and that the administration supports the leadership team in pursuing accreditation and reliable coverage. The chief and city staff said additional hires and purchases were intended to improve coverage and public safety.
Ending: Council voted by voice to accept the AFG grant and to adopt the ambulance purchase ordinance; public commenters asked for further transparency about part-time staffing and payroll records, and staff offered to respond to records requests.
