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Fire chief reports 29% rise in calls and steady response times in 2024 annual report
Summary
Fire Chief Hoover told the Public Safety Committee that the department logged 378 calls in 2024 — a 29% increase — while average response times remained within National Fire Protection Association guidance; training hours and inspections also rose amid modest staffing losses.
Fire Chief Hoover presented the fire department's 2024 annual report to the Public Safety Committee, saying the department handled 378 calls for service in 2024, a 29% increase from 2023, while average response time remained about 7 minutes 34 seconds, within NFPA recommendations for communities of this size.
Hoover said overall fire loss declined and that, although the department saw more incidents, those fires tended to be smaller, a result he attributed to quicker arrival and faster suppression. He said he reviewed incident data and found no single category responsible for the overall call increase, describing the rise as “across the board.”
Training hours rose sharply to about 2,400 in 2024, up from roughly 1,500–1,600 the prior year. Hoover credited a new in‑house partnership with Blackhawk Tech for the jump in training capacity and said the arrangement reduced travel time for members and instructors. The department also trained in‑house CPR instructors through a Mercy Health partnership and expects ongoing savings from that program.
Hoover outlined staffing trends: the department ended the year with 18 members after four retirements or resignations, and he identified a gap in mid‑level personnel (6–12 years’ service). He said the department plans a recruitment campaign with a major hiring push later in the summer and new hires entering training in late summer.
On inspections and prevention, Hoover said fire inspections increased by more than 56% in 2024 after a six‑week review of the inspection program and targeted adjustments to inspector practices. A strategic plan due in the coming months will guide whether the city adds a full‑time inspector position.
Hoover summarized apparatus and maintenance work: roughly $40,000 was invested in repairs at the training center, truck 51 became fully operational and a retired car (Car 12) was prepared for sale with proceeds to return to the general fund. He said the department contracted hose testing to an outside vendor that digitized records and completed large volumes of work efficiently.
The chief described EMS as the majority of calls (about 63%) and said most members are certified while a few long‑tenure members are not pursuing additional certifications; the department coordinates training and medical control with Greene County EMS and SSM Health. Committee members praised cost‑saving measures and the department's outreach to a local high school special‑education class.
The committee asked no motions and did not take formal action on the fire report; the chief answered members’ questions before the meeting moved on to police department business.
