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Fire chief reports new certified volunteer, siren-control preference and equipment-sale decisions
Summary
Fire Chief DJ Henry told the council that volunteer Leora Coffman passed the firefighter exam, the department has responded to 12 runs since the last meeting and he prefers moving village weather-siren control from NOAA to the County; the department declined a $200 bid for a surplus Dodge Durango and will not re-advertise.
Fire Chief DJ Henry updated the Village of Jacksonville council at the March 30 special meeting on personnel, equipment and communications matters affecting department operations.
Henry reported that volunteer firefighter Leora Coffman passed her Volunteer Firefighter exam and is now certified. He said volunteers Hunter Harp and Matt Fisher are currently in training and will take the exam when their class concludes. Henry also reported that the department has responded to 12 calls since the last meeting.
On grants, Henry said applications to the State Fire Marshal Equipment Grant and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Grant were not awarded. He discussed a potential countywide MARCS radio grant that could provide up to $40,000 for each participating entity but said the department already has the MARCS radios it needs and he did not want to increase ongoing subscription fees.
Henry raised the issue of the village weather siren's control system. "The weather siren is currently controlled through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)," he said, and added that "if it is changed so that the County controls it, the siren may be more accurate." Programming changes would likely be needed from B&C Communications; Henry said he would prefer County control and there were no objections from council.
Regarding surplus equipment, Fiscal Officer Rockwell reported one bid of $200 for a Dodge Durango and no bids for a wildland skid unit from a March 27 bid opening. Henry chose not to accept the $200 bid for the Durango and asked that the Village not re-run the advertisement; Council agreed.
Henry also announced the fire department’s Easter Bunny Breakfast scheduled for April 19, 2025, from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM and said he will email a flyer to Fiscal Officer Rockwell to post on the Village website.
The chief’s updates were informational; no formal motions or votes were required on the certification announcements or the grant outcomes, although the council agreed with his direction on the Durango bid and the siren-control preference.
