TIPP CITY — Community members in Tipp City and Monroe Township will meet to discuss potential changes administered to the Tipp City Fire and EMS. One of those changes being doing away with volunteer firefighters.
TCFES Chief of Emergency Services, Cameron Haller explained that the transition away from volunteer personnel to paid employees will impact the department in several ways including response time.
“Even if you’re just having dinner with your family you have stop having dinner with your family, you have to get completely dressed, respond to the station and then take the fire truck to the call whereas if you’re on duty you can just respond as needed right from the station,” Haller said.
>> Bradford Schools target of bomb threat
TCFES serves both Tipp City and Monroe Township. Currently, the station is budgeted for five paid staff members. The potential recommendation would raise that number the seven or eight. But before Haller submits a formal proposal, he wants to hear from the community.
“Every model that I’ve come up with preemptively if you will, does cost more money obviously,” Haller said. “But we’re also looking at incremental steps instead of saying hey we need X amount of dollars right now, tomorrow or everything will be sideways.”
Community members will meet to discuss potential changes on Feb. 9 over zoom.