A public safety juggling act

Crowe report supports hiring firefighters, but equipment may suffer; mayor wants it all

The City of Kokomo recently received the long-awaited study on its firefighting needs, and no one was surprised by its contents. The city needs more firefighters and updated equipment. But how it gets there and whether it includes a revived ambulance service is still uncertain.

Mayor Tyler Moore said he and the other principal stakeholders were “excited about the results” of the study complete by Indianapolis-based Crowe LLP. Those results haven’t yet been released to the public, but Moore said the study shows Kokomo is in line with its municipal peers across the state in terms of staffing and equipment.

“But, in order to provide more services that are desired, it all comes down to staffing,” said Moore. “When I took office, the fire department was at 84, and with those who have left or retired, I think we’re only up to 89 with our hiring. In order to have staffing at the NFPA 1710 levels, we need to have seven or eight more bodies.”