MADISON TOWNSHIP — Madison Township Fire Chief Ken Justus imagines a future where rescue equipment is stationed throughout various fire departments in Richland County to mobilize when needed.
Justus said he is exploring how to fund a study on specialized county-wide response teams, possibly through grants.
“The concept that we’ve been talking about for the last year is that we need to all work together, all the communities, to build a team where if something would happen — God forbid — we could activate a local county team with personnel and equipment from the county to assemble,” Justus said.
“I can’t bury my head in the sand knowing that there’s a deficiency in the county and we don’t have enough equipment and personnel to perform these rescues.
“We will continue to pursue some type of interactive collaboration with other fire departments in the county to provide these services to their communities.”
Justus and Mansfield Fire Chief Dan Crow brought this idea to the Richland County commissioners, who declined to fund a study regarding potential needs for water rescue, technical rescue and hazardous materials response at the county level.
Mansfield Fire Chief Dan Crow said the city’s hazardous materials/ hazmat response team can go anywhere in the county.
“That team is regulated through the Ohio EMA,” he said. “We also have a confined space rescue team. I’ve had quite a few conversations on collaborating because different fire departments have different things they’re specialized in.
“I think the best way forward is exploring mutual aid agreements and making sure we’re working quickly and efficiently in sharing resources.”
Crow also noted developing and supporting specialized teams would require additional training in swiftwater rescue, rope rescue and other areas.
“Mansfield is sending some of our firefighters to trench rescue currently,” he said. “Sending people to training is, in my opinion, the first thing to start this process.
“We have partners around us that are trained in things we aren’t and it’s been an asset to our community, but developing our own procedures would definitely help us improve.”
Other Madison Township fire updates
Also in his fire department report at the township trustees’ regular meeting March 17, Justus said he is planning to host a levy information session April 2 in the township hall to answer any questions residents have about the 5.5-mill continuous levy replacement for the fire department on primary ballots this year.
Justus said he is in touch with J & B Acoustical on door refurbishings for stations 1 and 2. The front door on Station 2 located on Belmont Avenue is rusted, and Justus said the siding is also rotted at the bottom of the station.
“There’s a handful of small things over this year that I think we’ll try to improve at that building,” Justus said of Station 2.
The chief also said he’s ordered a part to repair an air leak on Ladder 71 for about $2,000. The truck will be out of service until it is fixed.
Justus said he is having engines 72 and 74 investigated for possible wiring issues on their telescoping scene lights
