BY JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The Ellis County Fire Department responded to 320 calls for service in 2018, a slight decrease from the year before but they still spent more than 6,600 hours on emergency incidents in and around the county.

Director of Fire and Emergency Management Darin Myers presented the commission with the departments 2018 annual report Monday.

According to information Myers presented to the commission, the 320 calls were a 5 percent decrease from 2017 but, from 2016 to 2017, the calls increased by 23 percent.

Of those calls, 38.8 percent were fire related and 27.8 percent were rescue and Emergency Medical Services calls.

The response times within the county continue to improve, according to Myers. He said in 2018 the average on-scene time within Ellis County was 9 minutes, 34 seconds.

“We also plan that it takes about three minutes for firefighters to get to the station before they report out and are responding in an emergency vehicle,” Myers said. “That’s pretty good timing for the volunteers to be able to get back to their station and start responding.”

Recently, the number of volunteer emergency personnel has been trending downward, according to Myers.

“Luckily, over the last four years, we’ve steadily increased,” he said. “I wouldn’t say we ever have enough, just because of the time of day the incident happens. Usually between 8 a.m. and 5p.m. is when the firefighters are working their primary jobs.”

There are currently 83 paid-per-call firefighters in six companies after two recent retirements.

The department still had an average of 12 firefighters who respond to each call. Myers said, on average, 33 firefighters respond to structure fires within the county.

Myers also highlighted 2018 accomplishments that included the improvement of the department’s Public Protection Classification, the purchase of new radio equipment and the installation of new outdoor warning sirens.

In other business, the commission elected to leave in place the county-wide burn ban resolution.

The resolution allows Myers to implement the ban unilaterally, without the commission’s approval, although Myers said he does not intend to implement the ban at this time.

The commission also approved an employee pay plan that adjusts wages for employees with more than five years of service and provides a 2 percent increase to all other employees.