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Council hears safety committee report as department staffing and equipment moves forward
Summary
Council received a safety committee report highlighting new safety-team trainings, a plan to add three firefighters per shift, radar upgrades, and a pending SCBA equipment purchase approved by resolution to expedite delivery.
Council members heard an extended safety update March 10 that outlined staffing increases, new training assignments and equipment plans for Twinsburg's public-safety services.
Councilmember Mr. Bonacci reported that two officers have joined a regional valley-enforcement (SWAT) unit, one officer has joined the department drone team, and several officers are being considered for hostage-negotiator training. He also said the police department is pursuing an additional state accreditation beyond its current Ohio Collaborative certification.
On the fire side, Mr. Bonacci relayed the department's recent operational figures: call volume is just under 4,000 for the reporting period, about 51% of calls overlap, and response teams are typically out the door in about one minute 30 seconds. He also said all of the city's tornado-warning sirens functioned recently, a first in many years.
Separately, Mr. Fury announced the department will add three firefighters per shift — a move that will bring the available staff to about 12 per shift — a personnel change councilmembers framed as rebuilding capacity after lean staffing in prior years.
Council also approved Resolution 2026-35, which authorizes purchase of SCBA units and associated equipment through a cooperative purchasing program; the council suspended the three-reading rule and adopted the resolution as an emergency so equipment could be ordered and received quickly.
Direct quotes from the meeting included Mr. Bonacci's summary of accreditation and training: "We're part of the Ohio Collaborative as a certified police department, but they're going to go for accreditation." The transcript attributes the operational numbers to the safety report presented to council.
The council did not take formal personnel-authorization votes during the meeting for the firefighter increase; that staffing matter was presented as a committee report and update.
