By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Just as it seemed the Decatur Fire Department was finally moving toward full strength in personnel, another resignation has put a snag in those hopes.
In fact, the department is once again operating without one-third of its normal force.
The resignation of career firefighter Derek Schultz was announced at Tuesday night’s meeting of the city’s board of works and safety.
Schultz has joined the Southwest Allen County Fire District which covers five townships in Allen County and a portion of Wells County near the town of Zanesville.
The General Motors plant, Franklin Electric, Vera Bradley and General Mills are some of the businesses in the district, which has five stations.
Fire Chief Jeff Sheets told the board of works last month that he has two candidates for full-time positions. They came through a process which began with 11 applicants
The duo has passed physical agility testing and background checks, and gone through interviews. They now only need to get through some state requirements for PERF (Public Employee’ Retirement Fund) to join the department.
Until that time, however, the department was operating two firefighters short of normal – and now it’s three with the latest resignation.
The department lost a third of its staff in late July when three firefighters resigned to join the Northwest Fire District in Allen County.
At full strength, the department has nine career firefighters, plus Deputy Chief Chad Baumann and Chief Sheets.
In December, the board of safety approved the addition of Brad Roe, the city’s assistant building/zoning superintendent, to the paid-on-call staff.
That brings it to a full complement of 25 firefighters who are paid for each fire to which they respond.
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