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Fire chief says FEMA pumper grant looks promising; department logs higher inspection activity
Summary
Chief Steve Lawson reported 499 EMS runs (269 transports) and 96 fire incidents from April–June, said the FEMA pumper (fire truck) grant appears promising with a pumper price near $900,000 and an expected local share around 5% (~$49,000), and noted an increase in commercial fire inspections.
Chief Steve Lawson updated council on the fire and EMS activity for April through June and on grant prospects for apparatus replacement.
Chief Lawson said the department logged 499 EMS runs and 269 transports in the quarter and responded to 96 fire incidents, including seven building fires ("none of them were in our district," he said). He reported 50 fire inspections from January through June and noted the department has increased inspection capacity as more personnel become qualified.
On equipment funding, the chief said the department's grant writer had positive signals from FEMA about a pumper grant but cautioned that formal notification had not yet arrived: "We have not officially been notified by FEMA that we have received it. We haven't gotten the congratulations letter, but he's saying that it's a really good sign that chances are that we will be getting the grant." Chief Lawson provided a price point for equipment: "So right now, a fire truck is about $900,000," and said the city would be responsible for roughly 5% of the grant, which he estimated at about $49,000.
The department also received a $2,700 EMS grant restricted to eligible equipment per Ohio EMS Board rules. Council members asked for follow-up reports on repeat non-transports and on call-location ‘hot spots’ the police have identified to better coordinate public-safety resource allocation.
Next steps: chief and staff will supply additional breakdowns of non-transport calls and continue work on inspection scheduling and fire-assessment recommendations.
