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Evansville fire department reorganizes rescue squads, adds bookkeeping posts; board approves table-of-organization change
Summary
The board approved a revised table of organization for the Evansville Fire Department that shifts command staffing, consolidates two rescue squads into one five‑person unit, and adds bookkeeper positions to replace an executive secretary role.
The City of Evansville Board of Public Safety on Feb. 26 approved changes to the Evansville Fire Department's table of organization, including consolidation of two rescue squads into a single five‑person unit, a net reduction in captain and lieutenant postings on the consolidated truck, and the addition of bookkeeping staff.
A fire department representative told the board the revision does not reduce overall manpower or demote personnel. "We're not reducing our staffing. We're not reducing our manpower in any way. We're just reorganizing the department in the way that it appears in the table of organization," the representative said. The board was told the department recently filled a vacancy created by a retirement in the executive secretary position; the plan removes that position and adds a bookkeeper and an assistant bookkeeper. The job descriptions and salary adjustments for the bookkeeping positions were previously approved by the salary adjustment committee, the representative said.
The department also explained it is reducing three captain positions and three lieutenant positions tied to two previously separate three‑person rescue squads. Those two trucks will be combined into a single rescue truck staffed with five personnel, and the department said the positions freed by the consolidation will be reassigned within the department rather than eliminated. The reorganization will also add incident safety officer roles.
Board members asked for and received confirmation that no layoffs or demotions would occur and that the reassigned personnel would remain employed with the Evansville Fire Department. The board voted to approve the updated table of organization.
The board also approved requests to open bids for five staff vehicles and to surplus obsolete dive masks, a 1985 John boat and a 1986 trailer; the fire department said the surplus actions are intended to remove long‑stored or nonfunctional equipment from the city's books and that removal or sale options could include auction or donation.
