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Skokie fire chief outlines FY27 requests and pilots fourth ambulance amid rising call volumes
Summary
Fire Chief Nick Eshner told trustees the department answered 11,033 calls in 2025 and proposed piloting a fourth ambulance during daily 'power hours' (8 a.m.–6 p.m.) three days a week using overtime; staff warned permanently staffing a seventh-day ambulance and building a new station would add substantial annual costs.
Chief Nick Eshner and his command staff presented the Fire Department’s 2025 operational statistics and FY27 funding requests, telling the board the department responded to 11,033 calls in calendar year 2025 and averages roughly 30 calls per day. Chief Eshner said station 18 handled the greatest share—about 46–48%—and that engine 18 and ambulance 18 were the busiest units.
Eshner described recent investments in training, accreditation and apparatus upgrades (moving to ALS-capable rigs across the fleet) and summarized FY27 staffing and program requests: a community-risk-reduction intern to analyze data and drive prevention outreach; continued support for paramedic students and re‑certification efforts; and a pilot program to staff a fourth ambulance during weekday “power hours” using overtime three days a week (proposed Tues., Wed., Thurs.) to reduce response pressure on station 18 during peak hours.
Board members asked whether the proposed FY27 pilot might become a permanent, full‑time fourth ambulance and what staffing or budget implications would follow. The village manager and chief summarized the cost tradeoffs: a pilot using overtime is intended as an interim step, but making a fourth ambulance permanent (seven days a week) would add roughly $1.2–$1.3 million annually in ongoing costs; the village manager estimated that building and financing a new fire station could increase annual debt service by a minimum of about $1.4 million, creating multi‑million dollar annual implications if both a permanently staffed ambulance and a new station were pursued.
Trustees pressed on recruitment and retirement pipelines. Department leaders said they expect a cluster of retirements in coming years and are expanding recruitment through an explorers program, community outreach, and scheduled testing in late summer or early fall. The chief emphasized training investments—more than 30,000 training hours logged and hundreds of certification renewals—and said those efforts support retention and operational readiness.
Trustees also discussed station conditions, particularly at Station 18 (the smallest and busiest), and whether reinvestment or new construction is the longer-term solution. Staff said they will continue monitoring traffic and infrastructure changes (noting Old Orchard Road/bridge work) and evaluate site options and capital plans before bringing a specific station proposal forward.
The board did not take a formal vote on adding a permanent ambulance or building a station during the hearing; staff asked the board to consider the pilot and fiscal implications as budget decisions proceed.
