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Kankakee fire chief reports staffing gains, aging apparatus and plan for fleet replacement
Summary
Kankakee City fire officials reported November staffing gains after a retirement, increased overtime tied to retro pay, an aging fleet with a 1991 engine slated for surplus, and a forthcoming multi-year replacement plan discussed with the mayor and city manager.
KANKAKEE, Ill. — The Kankakee City Public Safety Committee heard a fire department update Tuesday that outlined modest staffing gains, higher-than-usual overtime tied to retroactive contract pay and a plan to phase out aging apparatus.
Fire officials told the committee that a late-October retirement was filled by an intern, firefighter Martine Gonzales, who began in mid-November and brought staffing to 46 against a budgeted complement of 51. The department said it is expediting hires after a recent contract settlement and is processing additional hires that should raise staffing further in the coming months.
The department presented bills for November that totaled $77,029.36 and were approved by the committee. Line items discussed included equipment for a new engine, vehicle maintenance, annual air-pack flow testing and a treadmill reimbursed in part from the department’s 2% fund.
Chief officials emphasized that several pieces of apparatus are past recommended service lives. A 1991 engine recently was removed from frontline duty and is expected to be surplused because repair costs and parts availability make refurbishment unfeasible. The chief said other reserve vehicles will be used while the city develops a multi-year vehicle replacement plan with the mayor and city manager.
Committee members and staff discussed replacement timing and financing options, including bonding or a multi-year capital plan. The fire department reported a new engine expected to enter service in early May and another apparatus expected in late fall or early winter next year, which officials said should reduce reliance on very old equipment.
Chiefs also described ambulance usage and wear: city ambulances transport a heavy patient load, they said, and city driving conditions lead to faster wear than county service. The department said it follows National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guidance on vehicle service cycles and is considering a scheduled replacement cadence to avoid placing large costs in a single fiscal year.
The chief reported November call activity: 583 total calls, including about 348 medical calls and four structure fires that caused roughly $116,500 in property damage (contents losses noted separately). The department said it responded on 14 calls outside city limits and recorded 373 EMS patient contacts for the year. The chief also noted community-risk activity including 77 fire inspections and installation of dozens of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
The committee voted to approve the fire department’s bills. The department said a detailed capital plan and funding options will be brought back to the committee in the coming months.
