Delhi Hills fire chief highlights mutual aid response, EMS metrics and new paramedic promotion

Fire Chief Campbell told the Delhi Hills Town Council on March 11 that the department's mutual-aid response to a two-alarm fire at the Woodlands reception hall in Whitewater Township required tanker operations and a recall of personnel but maintained township coverage throughout the incident.

Chief Campbell said the department responded to 357 runs in February and 753 year-to-date, reporting an average response time of 5 minutes, 33 seconds from 911 call to arrival. He said the department has increased the share of patients receiving a 12‑lead cardiac monitor within 10 minutes from 65% to 77% after setting that benchmark for personnel.

The chief described operational details of the mutual-aid fire: because the scene had no hydrants, neighboring departments supplied water by tanker; recall procedures brought eight township firefighters into service, and the recalled crews covered ambulances and engine responses for several hours. Chief Campbell told the council these events illustrate reliance on mutual aid and the staffing strain that such incidents impose without additional funding.

During the same report the council approved the promotion of Bridget D. Nagel to career firefighter/medic under the collective-bargaining agreement with IAFF Local 3389, effective March 18, 2026. Chief Campbell recognized Nagel's completion of paramedic school and qualification to operate as a single paramedic on calls.

The chief also noted the department continues to run a higher share of advanced life support transports (reported as about 133 ALS vs. 99 BLS for the period referenced), and that mutual-aid partnerships were critical in maintaining response times during the Woodlands incident.

The council did not take separate additional action on mutual-aid policy at the meeting; the briefing was presented as an operational update.