Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fire Department Staffing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Evansville fire chief reports 11 job offers, plans staggered recruit classes amid wave of retirements
Summary
At the Jan. 14 Evansville City Fire Merit Commission meeting, Fire Chief Knight said the department has extended 11 offers and expects 16–17 retirements in coming months; the commission will stagger two recruit classes starting in March.
Fire Chief Knight told the Evansville City Fire Merit Commission on Jan. 14, 2025, that the department has extended five additional offers from its hiring list, bringing total offers to 11, and is planning staggered recruit classes to cover a wave of retirements.
“ We have made 5 more offers, from the hiring list, bringing our total offers to 11,” Chief Knight said. He said the department anticipates “around 16 to 17 retirees” across January, February, March and May, and that the most recent recruits will reach their one‑year mark in mid‑March.
Chief Knight outlined a staffing and training timeline: the commission’s target start date for the first recruit class is March 10. That class will begin with approximately four months of fire training and then complete emergency medical technician coursework; the department plans to run a second recruit class whose EMT training will overlap so both classes complete EMT instruction together. Chief Knight said the recruits are preparing to take driver‑operator certification exams and that their one‑year anniversary falls on or about March 18.
The chief said scheduling uncertainty is complicating hiring timing. State law changes allow some employees to extend or forgo their planned retirement dates, meaning staff sometimes do not give firm departure dates until shortly before they leave. “We know when they projected to retire, but we don't know their definitive dates until they're gone,” Chief Knight said, explaining why the department will stagger classes rather than recruit a single large cohort well in advance.
Commissioners asked about graduation timing; Chief Knight said a graduation date has not yet been set. Deputy Chief Garrett was mentioned by commissioners as providing administrative support for commission records and logistics related to training and onboarding.
Commissioners and staff said they expect to receive additional hiring acceptances in coming weeks and to adjust class size and timing as definitive retirement dates are confirmed. Chief Knight did not provide a dollar cost or a detailed budget breakdown tied to the recruit classes at the meeting.
