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Chief Albert outlines training ramp‑up, AFG-funded vehicle rescue training and staffing strains at Public Safety Commission meeting
Summary
Fire Chief Albert told the Public Safety Commission on May 18 that the department will begin AFG-funded vehicle-rescue training next week, highlighted ongoing staffing and leave-related shortages, and described partnerships with Liberty Bank and community events; the commission approved minutes and adjourned.
Fire Chief Albert told the Middletown Public Safety Commission on May 18 that the department will begin vehicle-rescue training next week under an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and that staffing pressures from FMLA and other absences remain a persistent challenge.
"We got the AFG grant for the vehicle rescue training that's actually starting next week finally," Chief Albert said, adding that the program will be delivered in four shipments, with the final deliveries expected later this year and the department training to the technician level.
The chief described recent community work and interagency cooperation that he said strengthened emergency preparedness. He recounted an active-shooter tabletop exercise conducted at Liberty Bank with police department participation and said the exercise went well: "PD brought the scenario forward, and fire kind of interjected on how we're gonna do patient care," Albert said. He also cited previous CPR training and AED donations from the bank.
Albert provided operational updates and personnel notes. He said overtime and other staffing burdens remain "very heavy" because of leave and workers' compensation cases, and he reported that he expects two employees to return from FMLA this week. He also said a job description for a mechanic will be submitted to GCC for consideration this week.
On dispatch and EMS figures, the chief said telecoms are staffed at 19 dispatchers, with two positions on hold and three candidates remaining for the deputy director interviews. He summarized incident volumes in the department's report as "approximately 6,600 incidents, 2,130 total 9 1 1 calls, and 5,296 routine calls." (Those figures were read from the department report as presented at the meeting.)
The commission handled routine business at the start and end of the meeting. The body approved the minutes from the April 27, 2026 meeting by voice vote after a motion to approve was moved and seconded. Later, the commission received no public speakers during two public-hearing opportunities and voted to adjourn at 6:47 p.m.
During the meeting, a commissioner requested an update on a private medical matter; Chief Albert said the issue could not be discussed on the public record and offered to provide the update off the record.
The Public Safety Commission did not take further formal action on policy or budget items at this session. The commission is expected to consider personnel and training items in future meetings as job descriptions are reviewed and grant-funded training is delivered.
