Tipp City fire department looks to grow

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The city’s fire chief is asking Tipp City council to hire a full-time fire inspector to handle inspections that now are difficult to complete.

The inspector would also be taught how to handle other vital department functions including payroll and state fire reports, tasks that only Chief Steve Kessler now knows how to do.

Kessler said that training doesn’t mean the new employee would become chief when he retires, but the inspector would have the knowledge of those tasks to pass on to the new chief.

Kessler is the department’s part-time chief. The inspector would be its first full-time employee.

The proposal was outlined for the council during its annual operating budget workshop in October.

Kessler said the discussion was not sparked by any specific plans on his part. He’s been with the department more than 45 years.

“My view is as long as I am having fun and continue to be healthy, I will be here,” he said.

The proposal was, though, the first step toward a likely move to a full time fire department down the road, Kessler said.

“This is the first step we would like to take. I am having problems getting fire inspections done,” he said.

Part of the problem is the economy, he said, noting the Wright Patterson Fire Department hired one firefighter recently while others are working more hours at their jobs and are not available for inspections.

A department performance measures report included with the proposed budget showed 116 inspections were done in 2015 and 78 estimated for this year. Year to date, 45 had been done, according to the report.

The city has around 400 businesses and Monroe Twp., which contracts with the city for fire service, has around 100 businesses.

City Manager Tim Eggleston said the inspector position and the township paying part of that salary has been discussed with the township trustees.

The inspector’s responsibilities also would include fire prevention, public education, record keeping, training coordination and assisting the Miami County Emergency Management Agency in its hazardous materials inspections.

The department this year has had one major structure fire within the city. That was the June 20-21 fire at the Browse Awhile Books downtown that resulted in a loss of about $700,000, according to the report.

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