Firefighter Staffing Update

With the passage of the 2008 Fire Levy, Sylvania Township committed to increasing our firefighter staffing level by five to 57. Several months ago, we authorized Fire Chief Welsh to hire four new firefighters, two to fill recent retirements and two to begin to fulfill our commitment to increasing staffing. After departmental training, those four Firefighter/Paramedics are now working full-time.

In the meantime, a third firefighter retired this year bringing our current staffing level to 53 firefighters. We will continue to hire firefighters to fulfill the fire levy promise, but are delaying that hiring authorization due to a pending SAFER Grant; hires made before award of any grant do not count and we do not want to miss a grant opportunity if possible. We hope to hear about the grant shortly and will be taken action as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, our volunteer force has several new faces, one of which successfully made the switch to full-time firefighter during our first round of hiring. The volunteer firefighters continue to play a vital role in our department, including responding to calls when needed, managing our Fire Hydrant Inspection Program and other activities that contribute to the efficient and effective operation of the Sylvania Township Fire Department.