Evansville Fire Merit Commission Meeting – July 14, 2026

The Evansville Fire Merit Commission met on July 14, 2026 at 4:01 PM. Commissioners approved previous minutes and routine claims, received an update from the Fire Chief on recruit progress and the new ambulance service, and discussed community outreach. The next meeting is scheduled for August 11, 2026.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes from the last meeting. All members present voted in favor; no opposition. The minutes were approved.
• Approval of Claims: The commission approved payment of $1,000 each to Lieutenant interview raters Charles Fidel, Michael McCutcheon, and Gregory Williams. Motion passed unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public provided comment.

Discussion Items

• Chief’s Report – Recruit Update: The Chief reported that all recruits are performing well in week seven of EMS training, completing required ambulance ride‑along time with the new ambulance service. One recruit has already passed the National Registry EMT exam; the remainder are scheduled to take the exam next week. The EMT practical skills test is set for July 24. Following EMT completion, four recruits from academy 68‑26 will move into the fire station for probation, and nine recruits from academy 69‑26 will begin fire training. The graduation ceremony has been moved up to September 30, 2026 at 3:00 PM at the Ivy Tech Veterans Auditorium.
• Probationary Firefighters and Promotion Probation: The Chief noted that all probationary firefighters are performing at or above standards. The following members have completed or are about to complete their one‑year promotion probation: Instructor Mike Dorn, Investigator Jamie Phillips, Lieutenant Colton Blanchard, Captain Chad Beckham, and Battalion Chief Eric Jameson. The Chief recommended that these probationary promotions be made permanent.
• New Ambulance Service Performance: The Chief reported that the ambulance service launched July 1. Despite challenges (holiday weekend, extreme heat, full moon), performance matched or exceeded predictions. Predicted vs actual averages over the first two weeks: 67 calls per 24‑hour period (actual 67), 8‑minute response time (actual 7:56), 20% refusal rate (actual 15%), and 30–35% unit hour utilization (actual 33%). A board member commended the Chief for the accurate forecasting and praised the department’s professionalism, noting positive community feedback. The Chief also stated that fire crews and EMS crews are developing good camaraderie.
• Community Outreach and Ambulance Locations: A board member commended the fire department’s work with Autism Everyone, including the distribution of Camsi kits on apparatus and participation in awareness events. In response to a question about where ambulances are stationed, the Chief explained that eight ambulances are housed permanently at fire stations: six operate 24 hours a day, two operate 12‑hour peak increments (Station 17s: 9 AM–9 PM; Station 1: 11 AM–11 PM; the rest work 7 AM–7 AM). The Chief noted that ambulance station locations are not yet listed on the city website but may be added soon.
• Unfinished and New Business: No unfinished business. Under new business, a board member mentioned that union membership totals have grown to around 320. The Firefighter Foundation’s modern fair (six games in eight days) was acknowledged; donations and sponsors are still being accepted.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes and claims were approved unanimously.
• The Chief’s recommendation to make permanent the probationary promotions of five officers was noted; no formal vote was taken.
• The next regular meeting was announced for August 11, 2026.
• Motion to adjourn was made, seconded, and carried.