Heath Fire Department Raises Minimum Staffing for Fire Engines

The Heath Fire Department is changing its minimum staffing requirements for fire engines, requiring at least three qualified firefighters to be on duty before a primary fire-suppression apparatus can be placed in service.

Fire Chief Warren McCord issued the directive in August, and it was discussed during recent Heath City Council meetings.

Previously, the department could operate with five firefighters on duty, with three assigned to Station 51 and two at Station 52. Under the new policy, a fire engine cannot be dispatched as a primary suppression resource if fewer than three qualified firefighters are available.

That effectively means Heath needs at least six firefighters on duty to have engines operating from both stations.

McCord said the previous staffing arrangement sometimes left the east-side engine unavailable when only two firefighters were working at Station 52.

The firefighters’ union supports the change, describing it as an issue of firefighter and public safety. The union says three-person staffing is an interim minimum, with four-person staffing remaining the long-term goal.

Heath City Council President Tim Kelley questioned whether the increased staffing requirement is necessary, particularly because Heath firefighters routinely respond to calls outside the city through mutual aid.

McCord said the department is working to better understand its call data and the number of actual fire incidents compared with other types of emergency calls.