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Port Clinton council hears equipment shortfalls, administration to seek certification for full‑time staff
Summary
At its July 9 meeting the Port Clinton City Council was told a 10‑year ISO audit found multiple fire department equipment shortfalls and that none of the 13 full‑time employees are currently certified for fire suppression; administration said it will introduce legislation to certify full‑time staff and use ARPA funds to cover much of the cost.
Port Clinton City Council on July 9 was told the city’s fire service faces equipment shortages and staffing gaps that officials said could affect emergency response.
The Interim Fire Chief told council that “Thirty five helmets are currently outdated and need replaced,” that the air‑cascade system providing clean breathing air is not NIOSH or NFPA compliant and is estimated at $60,000, and that discontinued self‑contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) harnesses would require replacement estimated at $200,000. The department is undergoing its 10‑year ISO audit, the chief said.
City officials said the department has 37 personnel: 24 paid‑on‑call volunteers and 13 full‑time employees. The interim chief said none of the 13 full‑time staff are currently certified to fight fires; as a result, full‑time employees now focus on medical responses while volunteers handle fire suppression. Mr. Gutman told council that call volume typically rises about 8–10% annually and that the department logged roughly 3,400 calls last year.
Administration said many of the replacement and equipment costs will be covered with ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) dollars but that those funds are not sufficient to cover all identified needs. Paul Christman, the Economic and Community Development Coordinator, praised volunteer firefighters and said administration is working on a strategy to both certify personnel and replace equipment; he said any remaining funding needs would be addressed in 2025.
The mayor’s office and city staff indicated forthcoming legislation will allow the city to certify full‑time staff as firefighter/EMTs and to revise job descriptions so staff can be cross‑credentialed; Tracy Colston asked council to consider adopting the measure at first reading to expedite the process. Council did not take a vote on the matter at the July 9 meeting.
Next steps: administration said legislation to address certification and job‑description changes will be presented at an upcoming meeting; funding and precise implementation timelines were described as to be finalized later, with remaining costs to be handled in 2025.
