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Safety board warned staffing shortages could reduce secondary response capacity as new station opens
Summary
Fire leaders told the Safety Board that the department is short six firefighters now, that opening Station 295 with a three‑person crew will likely require reassigning staff from Station 93 and could reduce availability for simultaneous calls, and that hiring timelines create short‑term overlap gaps.
Chiefs told the Town of Zionsville Safety Board on July 20 that the department is operating with critical staffing shortages that will affect service as new infrastructure comes online. "We are still short 6 firefighters today," Chief Van Gorder said, and Chief Gibbons explained the staffing outlooks show service levels flagged in red when the town reallocates crews to open Station 95 (alternate label used in planning discussions).
Officials said opening the western station with the minimum three‑person crew would likely require removing personnel from Station 93, reducing that station’s ability to field an engine and ambulance together and making the town more reliant on mutual aid for secondary or simultaneous calls. Gibbons noted first‑call response times should remain similar for single incidents, but "that 2nd call, that may be where there is a noticeable difference" and that simultaneous incidents—working fires or multiple medical emergencies—would most stress coverage.
The board discussed hiring numbers and timing: six probationary firefighters recently finished the academy, with one already cleared to operate ambulances and five others progressing toward clearance; the department is pursuing paramedic hires and promotion lists, but the chiefs emphasized that recruits take roughly six months of training before full deployment, creating temporary operational gaps even if hires are approved early.
Why it matters: staffing shortfalls affect day‑to‑day emergency coverage and increase reliance on mutual aid, especially on days with multiple incidents. Board members signaled the staffing issue will be a central focus in the upcoming budget season.
