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Fire Chief Gatley details runs, staffing and new SOPs as village leans on mutual aid
Summary
Fire Chief Dan Gatley told the council the department handled 1,267 year-to-date runs, described staffing changes and new SOPs implemented June 1, and said the department added a ladder company to initial commercial-alarm responses after a recent warehouse fire.
Fire Chief Dan Gatley gave a comprehensive operational update to the Village of West Jefferson council, reporting year-to-date runs of 1,267 and monthly totals near 192–197. "Statistics wise, total runs for the fire department year to date is 1,267," Gatley said, and noted May's breakdown: "7 runs on the freeway, 97 runs in the village, 45 in the township," with mutual aid received multiple times.
Gatley outlined staffing and training changes. He said one full-time firefighter will leave at the end of the month for a position in Delaware and the department received 14 applicants to fill that vacancy, "I have 14 applicants, to try to fill that vacancy with," he said, with interviews planned the following week. He added that seven part-time firefighters hired earlier this spring have completed orientation and are on shift.
The chief described operational changes taken after a recent Amazon warehouse fire: the department revised run cards and "added a ladder company to all commercial fire alarm responses," a shift from the previous two-engine response. Gatley said the department still relies on mutual aid for ladder coverage and estimated a typical warehouse ladder response at about "16 minutes from dispatched on scene," while cautioning actual response times vary by location, staffing and equipment availability. He also noted implementation of new SOPs on June 1 after two months of training to improve safety, consistency and accountability.
Gatley reported station and equipment work, including replacement of a 28-year-old HVAC unit and an ordered medic transport vehicle expected between November and early next year. He closed by summarizing recent community events (July 4 parade and fireworks with no significant incidents), upcoming inspections and safety programs, and acknowledgments to cooperating officials and staff for assistance with building reviews and hydrant service updates.
Next steps: the chief said interviews for the full-time vacancy are scheduled and staff will continue monitoring mutual-aid arrangements and equipment timelines.
