The 17-member Atwater Fire Department is growing, with Jacob Fatherington and Dakota Myers becoming regular volunteer members. The two have been on probationary status for a year. Probationary status serves as a learning and testing period for new firefighters.
Chief Tom Nellis has asked the trustees for a budget which would allow him to increase staffing at the fire station. Depending on the budget trustees are able to provide, Nellis said hours could begin earlier and/or end later than its current 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. schedule. The number of members working each shift could also be addressed.
“When you have three people working at the station it really is a great thing,” Atwater Trustee Peggy Bainey said. “We get about 300 ambulance calls a year, at least. That’s a lot of calls for a little township.”
Trustees also approved a $34,000 price tag for resurfacing the fire station’s driveway.
Wendy DiAlesandro is a former Record Publishing Co. reporter and contributing writer for The Portager.