Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Emergency Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Chatham County Fire Department reports drop in fires, highlights community outreach and recruits
Summary
Fire Chief Vickers reported a 14% drop in fires year-over-year, ongoing community paramedic and behavioral health work, recent academy graduates and active recruitment to fill roughly 30 vacancies.
Chatham County Fire Department Chief Vickers reported operational statistics, outreach and staffing updates during the Board of Commissioners’ March 28 meeting, saying fires declined compared with the prior year and the department is actively recruiting new personnel.
"Fires are down by 14% as compared to last year," Chief Vickers told commissioners during his quarterly presentation, and he said the trend reflects outreach and public education efforts. He said other call types—service calls and hazardous-condition reports—have increased or held steady, and that false alarms are down.
Vickers outlined results from the department’s community paramedic and behavioral health unit. Between January 1 and March 20 the unit recorded 245 calls, including 92 originating from 911 and 63 referrals; staff described several household interventions in which families received housing, food access and follow-up services. Vickers said the combined program is connecting unsheltered residents and others to services and local agencies.
The department graduated 10 recruits from a 24-week academy in early March; trainees receive state firefighter and EMT certifications. A technical rescue team also added five rope rescue technicians in late February, Chief Vickers said. The department cited recent community outreach known as “sounding the alarm”: in a district blitz on March 22 staff knocked on 238 doors, served 36 homes and installed 43 smoke alarms in cooperation with the American Red Cross.
On staffing, Vickers said the department currently has about 30 vacancies and that recruitment for the next academy is open through May 1 with a planned start date of June 9.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions during the presentation. Commissioner Noah thanked the department for the door-knock outreach and noted two recent county deaths in which smoke alarms might have mattered. Commissioner Larkin asked about recruit academy cadence; Vickers said recruit academies run about every six months because the training length is 24 weeks. Commissioner Wagner asked for an explanation of ALS and BLS; Vickers replied that BLS (basic life support) provides CPR and non-ALS care, while ALS (advanced life support) is staffed by paramedics with drugs and advanced interventions.
Ending: The department will continue recruitment and outreach; the county manager said an open-house date for new units will be scheduled and publicized.
