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Fire chief reports rise in calls, new ladder truck ordered and federal SCBA grant
Summary
Vermilion’s fire chief reported a 22% year-over-year increase in calls, progress on firefighter certifications, a warranty dispute over engine 81, a prepaid $454,000 ladder-truck order with $1.3 million due at delivery, and a roughly $302,000 USFA grant that left about $34,000 for additional training or pagers.
The fire chief reported that the department received 37 calls for service in December and 379 for the year, a 22% increase from 2024. He said improving training was an early priority after a recent review and noted that 6 of 7 Romani-class firefighter II candidates passed their state test, with others scheduled to retest; the department’s firefighter II certification rate stood at about 39% on his arrival and is projected to reach roughly 83% after the current class and three new hires complete training.
The chief raised a warranty concern about engine 81, describing corrosion that the department expects the manufacturer to address and saying the city will consult legal counsel to determine next steps. He also described a new ladder truck the city has ordered: the city prepaid $454,000 and will pay about $1.3 million at delivery; the truck will be built in Dublin with expected delivery in December 2027, and delivery may take a month or two once built.
On federal support, the chief said the city received a U.S. Fire Administration grant of a little over $302,000 to buy SCBA air packs; after vendor discounts about $34,000 remained for discretionary spending, which the city must itemize for USFA approval. He said the remaining funds would likely be used on officer training and replacement pagers.
The chief invited questions at the end of his report.
