Fire Chief Lehi: station, FAA drill and community training show preparedness amid rising calls

Fire Chief Lehi told the Tuscaloosa Public Safety Committee that the Fire and Rescue Department has seen an uptick in call volume — particularly structure and vehicle fires — while continuing regular EMS responses and community outreach.

“Call volume wise, we are up right now, especially in the fire section,” Chief Lehi said, describing a mix of structure fires, vehicle fires and routine EMS calls ranging from chest pain to blood-pressure checks that often require transport.

The chief said Station 12 recently passed the Federal Aviation Administration's annual inspection at Tuscaloosa National Airport. Inspectors reviewed records, vehicles and staffing and ran an active drill; the department was given three minutes under the standard to get water on a mock aircraft fire, and Lehi said crews achieved that in "a minute and 46 seconds." He said FAA staff praised the department's organized records and well-maintained apparatus.

Lehi described routine specialty-team training days held on Mondays, including combined water-rescue and technical-rescue exercises to practice extracting victims in remote or constrained locations, such as pedestrian bridges. He said the drills emphasized realistic constraints — handrails, pivot points and limited access — and included packaging patients recovered from the water.

The department also conducts outreach: Lehi noted a station visit by Boys State and high-school seniors, demonstrations at Northridge Middle School's summer program led in part by Captain Hollis Ball, and a summer "water day" for children. He said council members attended some training and that news crews covered the events.

When a committee member asked about staffing levels, Lehi said the department is short-handed but that job offers had been extended that day.

The committee did not take formal action on the update; members thanked the chief for the briefing.