By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
The Decatur Fire Department is making progress in its bid to return to full strength in personnel.
Fire Chief Jeff Sheets told city council and the board of works Tuesday night that the department currently has six candidates for two openings.
The recent acceptance of applications brought forth 15 people who expressed interest, but only 11 showed up, Sheets said. After physical agility and some other testing, the field is down to six.
Background checks and interviews are next.
In addition, Sheets received six applicants for one opening on the paid-on-call force. That field has been narrowed to three.
Three full-time members of the department recently resigned, cutting the number of regulars by one-third, from nine to six.
The severe personnel shortage was eased somewhat on Sept. 1 with the addition of Preston Bemis.
A resident of Monroe and a member of that community’s volunteer department, Bemis became a “lateral move” for Decatur, meaning he could immediately join the Decatur department with full-fledged status since he has already passed all state requirements, been approved for PERF, etc.
At full force, the Decatur FD has nine career firefighters, Deputy Chief Chad Baumann, and Chief Sheets.
A new hire will bring the department’s paid-on-call force to a full complement of 25.
RETROFIT: Sheets was given permission by council and the board of works to use $8,899 from the Betty Walters Fund to retrofit eight batteries and two chargers in the department’s auto extrication tools.
Betty Walters, a Decatur resident and 40-year employee of NIPCSO, died august 29, 2021, at the age of 91.
Through her estate, she left a substantial amount of money to be used by the city’s police and fire departments.
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