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Council hears fire department staffing shortfalls; residents urge local ambulance coverage
Summary
The fire chief reported a new rescue truck in service but said volunteer shortages strain responses. Residents described delayed ambulance response during a family emergency and urged the council to secure more reliable local EMS coverage or contracts with county providers.
Cherry Valley’s fire chief updated the council that the newly acquired rescue truck is now in service and that a few additional pieces of equipment remain to complete its configuration. He said the department is short‑handed and called for all available volunteers to respond to calls; councilors and staff discussed outreach, incentives and a potential junior fire program at the local school to recruit volunteers.
The chief and council also discussed exploring a county‑level contract for animal services and EMS coverage. The chief said two local animal services currently operate without a formal contract and cited numerous calls this year where no animal service was available; councilors discussed negotiating contracts to secure consistent coverage and noted any funding would likely require county involvement.
During public comment a resident recounted the death of a family member and said an ambulance took more than an hour to arrive; other residents echoed concern about EMS reliability and called for local ambulance service. Council members acknowledged the problem and said they are in early stages of discussions with county partners and potential vendors to seek more dependable ambulance coverage.
Council also reviewed benefits and incentives for volunteer firefighters (East Central membership, death benefit, limited pay for Volunteers) and discussed possible schedules that use credible off‑duty full‑time firefighters to provide coverage while offering part‑time pay from the city.
