Elgin receives $3 million grant to help hire nine new firefighters

A $3 million federal grant will help Elgin offset the cost of hiring nine new firefighters to man a sixth ambulance for the city.

Elgin Fire Chief Robb Cagann told the Elgin City Council Wednesday night that the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is intended to support local fire departments in “building up or rebuilding their staffing.”

The fire department removed the sixth ambulance from full-time service in 2012 due to budget constraints after determining there would be no appreciable reduction in emergency response capabilities, City Manager Rick Kozal said.

A study last year showed a “significant increase” of about 40% in emergency call volume since 2012 and a disproportional reliance on mutual aid to cover the demand.

Cagann said their run volume has increased for nine straight years. Of the 16,000 calls they’re getting each year, 12,000 are for emergency medical services.

The increase has forced the city to rely more on sharing resources with surrounding communities, especially South Elgin, Cagann said.

“It’s brought our reliance on mutual aid to the forefront,” he said. “Every indication is that we should definitely see a reduction in that (after adding the ambulance).”

Adding the sixth ambulance back into service requires nine full-time firefighter/paramedics.

The $3,028,501 grant helps offset the city’s total cost of just under $5 million for the next three years.

Council member Diana Alfaro pointed out the funds for staffing the ambulance were already in the city’s budget and thanked the fire department for the work that went into obtaining the grant.

“This is now going to give us an opportunity to use that money for something else once they release the funds to us,” she said.

When the funding runs out in three years, the city will absorb the cost of those salaries.

Council member Tish Powell said the grant was “a great win for everyone involved.”

“Yes, we will have some legacy costs,” she said. “But in the long run, this is one of our core services.”