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Fire chief warns of staffing shortfall, seeks recruiting and capital support as apparatus lead times lengthen
Summary
Fire Chief Joel Thacker told councilors that Carmel Fire Department faces near‑term retirements and vacancies that could leave minimum staffing short by 12 to 40 positions in 2026, described a new lateral recruitment process and asked for funding for training, equipment and vehicle projects amid long lead times for apparatus.
Fire Chief Joel Thacker presented the Carmel Fire Department’s 2026 budget request and warned the council the department faces a near‑term staffing gap as a wave of retirements and separations approaches.
Thacker said the department currently staffs about 170 sworn firefighters and was down roughly 12 positions at the time of the presentation; he said he expects about 12 named retirements in 2026 and said he is budgeting to add up to 40 additional positions to maintain minimum staffing and cover scheduled time off. He told councilors that without additional hires and changes the department risks having units temporarily out of service.
To address near‑term staffing needs Thacker described a newly implemented lateral recruitment process that screened experienced firefighters and placed qualified candidates into an accelerated training and orientation program; he said a cohort of laterals had entered orientation and the department planned additional recruit classes. He told councilors the lateral process was intended as an interim measure to avoid long vacancies while the city’s academy pipeline is processed.
On overtime, Thacker said the department is relying on overtime in part to fill shifts but that overtime costs this year had been high. He reported plans to move $1.5 million in projected 2025 overtime into the 2026 budget to stabilize costs, and he said he would seek additional recruits to reduce overtime pressure once they are certified and working on the street.
Thacker raised equipment and apparatus concerns: he said national manufacturing backlogs and rising costs are delaying the delivery of new engines and ladders and increasing replacement costs. He noted an engine had been out of service for months while awaiting a long‑term repair, and he outlined capital needs for training ground upgrades, generator and building repairs, replacement of a tactical support unit, and phased capital replacements for Monon Community Center equipment. He described the department’s medical‑surveillance and cancer‑screening programs and asked councilors to continue funding these programs, calling them important for firefighter safety and wellness.
Councilors asked about the impact of overtime and the timeline for lateral recruits and new classes; Thacker said the lateral candidates would be in orientation and on the street within months, and he asked councilors to consider funding to help stabilize staffing while the department processes recruits and replacements.
