Crosby Township fire department to add medics after SAFER grant; three hires approved

Crosby Township trustees on Oct. 14 approved making three firefighter/medic positions full time and approved a promotion after the fire department reported receiving a federal SAFER grant that will support additional staffing.

Fire department representatives told the board the SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant is a multiyear federal program that typically pays 75% of salaries and benefits in the first two years and about 35% in the third year. The department said the grant will add three medics to guarantee medic coverage daily; the meeting record states the grant award amount to the township as approximately $365,000 (as reported during the meeting). The grant start date was discussed as March of the following year.

Trustees moved and seconded to approve hiring Jason Hund, Martin Littleton and Daniel Williams as full-time firefighter/medics with start dates noted in personnel records; a promotion to lieutenant was also supported. Roll-call votes were recorded in favor. Department leaders also described community paramedicine pilots in the Dayton and Columbus regions where off-duty clinicians visit frequent 911 callers to reduce emergency-room transports; trustees asked staff to investigate feasibility and potential reimbursement through Medicare and insurers.

The board thanked staff for pursuing grant funding and asked the fire department to return with implementation details and timelines. A public swearing-in ceremony for hires and promotion was planned for November when full attendance could be scheduled.