New Elkhart fire chief has focuses on community outreach, conditions of stations
As you talk to new fire Chief
"The only thing that really overwhelmed me was the condition of some of our fire stations," said Carey, who started the job in January after Mayor
The condition of the stations is something Carey is looking to tackle as fire chief, citing the age of some of the seven stations the city operates as a cause for concern. The two oldest stations have been in operation for more than 45 years. Station 5, at
"We are beginning to ask questions about whether those are the best locations for those stations," said Carey. "With our current response levels, we may be better served moving them to new locations. Currently, we are discussing our options and looking at the possibility of moving the stations or just simply refurbishing them. Once we have a plan of action, we will begin talking to the neighborhoods involved and go from there."
Carey also said he would like the department to be more community-oriented, which is why he is creating the position of community risk reduction officer. As far as Carey is concerned, community outreach should mean more than increasing awareness of the need for smoke detectors.
"I want to see the department find ways to better assist the elderly and plan for disasters within the community," he said. "We want to do things that will make our community safer and reduce risk factors within the community."
One of the areas that risk factors impact is the city's ISO rating, a measurement that takes into account the city's fire department, emergency communications, water supply and community risk reduction. The rating can impact how much homeowners pay for house insurance.
"They look at the size of our department, the amount of apparatuses we have to utilize here and our training," he said.
To tackle the training issue, Carey hopes to be able to build a new training center, something he says has been needed for a long time.
"Right now we share a training center with
With the department budget on solid footing, Carey hopes to be able to focus on the basics that any department needs, a well-trained, happy workforce.
"I want to improve our equipment, continue to look at advancements, evaluate the current assets of our employees and improve tools for safety and efficiency," he said.
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