From Dayton Daily News 6/22/06

Kettering chief defends fire department 
Author: Joanne Clodfelter Contributing Writer Date: June 22, 2006 Publication: Dayton Daily News (OH) Page Number: Z1-3 


  Emotions may have been smoldering, but were kept in check when close to 40 Kettering firefighters showed up in uniform at the regularly scheduled Kettering City Council meeting on June 13.

  At the meeting, Kettering Fire Chief Robert Zickler defended Kettering's combination fire department, consisting of career and volunteer firefighters..

  "The combination fire department model in Kettering has proven to meet community expectations and needs for well over 40 tears, "Zickler said.

  Zickler told council that the fire department has seen a "consistent pattern of adjustment and adaptations every four to six years since Kettering became a city."

  He said that service enhancements made to the fire department in recent years include the addition of full-time staff to cover the west side of the city during the week days; the addition of round the clock fire/EMS apparatus to station 33; and initiating a community-based responder program to better utilize the volunteer fire-fighters.

  "The upcoming weeks and months of research and discussion will be about making recommendations for adjustments and not radical change," Zickler said.

  Council has directed Zickler to conduct a study which includes objective measurements of service delivery; recommendations for staffing models that are flexible, effective and efficient for the entire fire department; and to develop a five-year plan for the fire department.

  "I want to reinforce that I do believe our community is safe," City Manager Mark Schwieterman said. "There is some tweaking that goes on, that goes on in every department every day to enhance service delivery."

  The only firefighter to address council was a volunteer firefighter Lt. Howard Cobb. Cobb told council that he felt the training of the volunteers was on par with that of the career firefighters.

  Councilwoman Peggy Lehner thanked all of the firefighters for their commitment to the city.

  She asked that the firefighters have patience and to "turn down the volume" and "turn down the emotion" a little bit.

  Recently, Joel Busch, president of International association of Firefighters Local 2150, upset many of Kettering's volunteer firefighters when he distributed a pamphlet raising questions about the response times of Kettering volunteer firefighters.

  Kettering has 120 volunteer firefighters and 48 career firefighters, 39 of whom are represented by the union.

  The volunteers cover evening and weekend shifts and conduct community outreach and education.