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Bridgeport fire chief reports 96 calls in June, two cadet trainees and additional station tours ahead of August assessment
Summary
Fire Chief Smigiel told the Bridgeport board that the department answered 96 calls in June (YTD 687), introduced two cadet trainees who may begin certification in April 2025, and scheduled two station tours on July 31 to inform voters about an August assessment.
Fire Chief Smigiel reported on department activity during the July 9 meeting, saying the department responded to 96 calls in June and has a 2024 year-to-date total of 687 calls.
Chief Smigiel identified two new fire cadet trainees, Alisha Barr and Joshua Deitsch, who joined in early June. He said the cadets will test what it is to be an on-call firefighter and that their earliest possible state certification would be in April 2025 after an academy that begins in December and runs through April. He cautioned that nearly 80% of cadets in similar positions leave within the first 90 days, often because of the time commitment or unexpected duties.
The chief described a recent busy stretch: an early-morning medical emergency, mutual-aid assistance to a Buena Vista house fire that resulted in injuries to two out-of-town firefighters, a vehicle striking a building causing significant damage, and a vehicle fire on I‑75 that required the crew to remain on scene more than an hour due to heavy holiday traffic. He noted the department has completed four of six scheduled station tours about the Assessment on the August ballot; two tours remain on July 31 (10 a.m.–12 p.m. and 6 p.m.–8 p.m.).
