ROSSFORD, Ohio — Rossford City Council on Monday unanimously voted to make the city's fire department full-time over other proposed options that involved relying on neighboring departments.
The fire department is currently staffed by part-time time employees and will have some hires to make.
Rossford resident Ben Yoder said he is happy with council's decision.
"It's exciting. It's long overdue. It's been years in the process," said Yoder, who was born and raised in Rossford.
He said he's seen the department staffed with only volunteers and that a change was needed as the city grows.
"Let's do it here and do it ourselves," Yoder said. "Hope to work together and that's the plan for city council."
Council member Rachel Tinney said relying on neighboring fire departments is still part of the plan, though. A full-time staff can help Rossford enter agreements with other departments to respond to calls faster.
"Automatic aid agreements, mutual agreements, a partnership of some kind," she said, describing the ways the fire department can partner with neighboring ones. "But we can't do that until we have our own full-time fire department to offer those services back."
Tinney was on a special committee along with other council members, firefighters and community members tasked with drafting a plan for the future of the department.
The committee presented its recommendation on Monday to council to become full-time and hire 15 firefighters.
But even with the estimated $2.7 million price tag, Tinney said taxpayers won't have to foot the additional costs, yet.
"As of right now, the plan that we have in front of us, we can continue right now without asking for new money," she said.
Some sacrifices are being made, though.
At a recent council meeting, the previously-announced Rossford Splash Pad was nixed due to the fire department situation.
But Yoder said losing the splash pad is worth it.
"If we're not going to do a levy for this, we're going to save our pennies," Yoder said. "$500,000 for a splash pad, you start weighing your options. Do we want men and women in that building responding to calls or do we want a splash pad?"
Tinney said the process of hiring full-time firefighters will begin within the next few weeks. Current part-time firefighters in Rossford will need to apply.