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Other information can be obtained including events such as the North Olmsted Fire Fighters Cruise-In and North Olmsted City Council Meetings. Check out the latest photos of what we do to keep you safe as a resident and guest of our city.

Paramedics / Fire Fighters Welcome Mayor Kennedy
The Paramedics and Fire Fighters of the North Olmsted Fire Department would like to congratulate Mayor Kevin Kennedy for his win in the mayoral election in the City of North Olmsted. With Mayor Kennedy being sworn into office on January 1, 2010 we look forward to a new spirit of cooperation and working with and for Mayor Kennedy in serving to meet the needs of our residents and guests.

We believe Mayor Kennedy has the goal in mind to provide our residents with the best emergency and fire protection services possible. We know Mayor Kennedy will lead this City back to a position of being a premier community that provides its residents and guests with excellent services and that together we can make this a reality.

Congratulations Mayor Kennedy on being sworn in as Mayor!

5 Staffing Reductions Continue
On January 1, 2009, Former Mayor Thomas O'Grady decided to layoff 5 firefighter paramedics. Additionally, former Mayor O'Grady reduced the minimum number of fire fighters and paramedics on duty each day by 20%. These staffing reductions will result in increased response times and not enough fire fighters and paramedics available to respond to your emergency.

The North Olmsted Fire Department, up until December 31, 2008, staffed each of the 2 fire stations in North Olmsted with a minimum of 5 firefighter paramedics who staffed an Engine or Ladder and an EMS ambulance at each fire station for a total of 4 pieces of equipment in the city. All the vehicles have Advanced Life Support (ALS) medical equipment, medicines and cardiac monitors/defibrillators. If an ambulance is dispatched from a fire station then the engine or ladder is available for another emergency call. Both fire stations could respond to up to 2 emergencies with response times averaging less than 4 minutes.

Since January 1, 2009, and now today, following the layoffs and reduction in staffing new fire station #2 on the west end of town will only be staffed with 3 firefighter paramedics. These firefighter paramedics can staff only one emergency response vehicle, either the fire engine or rescue squad. When a call on the west end occurs they will jump from one emergency vehicle to the other depending on the nature of the call. A total of 3 vehicles will be staffed in the city. If a second call comes on the west end of town the nearest ambulance or engine and medically trained personnel could be up to 11 minutes away. This is important because American Medical Association statistics state cell death (heart or brain) begins to occur after only 4 minutes when oxygen is deprived. Multiple emergency calls occur regularly at the same time in North Olmsted. This reduction in Paramedic and Fire Fighter staffing will result in Fire Station 2 being closed at times with no one available to respond to your emergency!

The layoff of 5 firefighter paramedics has caused a 20% reduction in the number of firefighter paramedics on duty. Furthermore, a 25% reduction in the number of emergency vehicles staffed and available has occurred as a result of Mayor O'Gradys layoffs and reductions of on duty firefighter paramedics. The residents of North Olmsted and in particular on the west side of North Olmsted are seeing a 50% reduction in the firefighter and paramedic services. With emergency calls occurring at 10 a day (3643 in 2008) someone will be impacted. Sometimes trying to do more with less only means you get less.

On July 2, 2009, one fire fighter paramedic was temporarily recalled to work when another fire fighter paramedic retired. Even with this recall of one fire fighter paramedic staffing reductions continue and the North Olmsted Fire Department is still down 5 fire fighter paramedics because the City is not hiring anyone to replace the retired fire fighter paramedic.

On March 11, 2010 one Fire Captain retired and Mayor Kennedy recommended and City Council approved abolishing this position. Additionally, City Council also abolished the Assistant Fire Chief position as recommended by Mayor Kennedy. Staffing on the North Olmsted Fire Department has been reduced from a total of 51 personnel to 41 personnel over approximately the past 8 years through layoffs and attrition.

The attacks on your safety and the North Olmsted Fire Department continue. Let your voice be heard! Contact your elected representatives and let them know that you want your professional fire fighters and paramedics protecting you and your community.

North Olmsted Fire Department Run Totals

Since 1988 emergency run totals for the fire deparment have increased nearly 68%. During that same period of time paramedic/firefighter minimum staffing levels have increased only 20% through 2008. In 2009 Mayor O'Grady decreased paramedic/firefighter minimum staffing levels 20%!

Mayor O'Grady and his administration have stated that North Olmsted has enough paramedics and fire fighters on duty and that the layoff of paramedics and fire fighters will not have any affect on the safety of the residents. Paramedic and fire fighter staffing is currently at 13 per shift, below what former Mayor O'Grady once recommended when he was a councilman. -> ->

Since 2001 when Councilman O'Grady recommended increasing paramedic and fire fighter staffing. Emergency run demands have increased an additional 12%

So far in 2010, emergency calls are up 10% over the same period for 2009.

Now entering our 24th year, the North Olmsted Fire Fighters have raised approximately $200,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

We appreciated all the support from those that have attended, registered their cars, purchased commemorative t-shirts, purchased food and donated to this worthy effort. We’d also like to thank all the businesses, organizations and individuals that provided donations in the form of door prizes, food, drink, cash donations and their time. With all the help, we were able to raise $10,300 for MDA in 2010 with 100% of the proceeds going to MDA. Please support those that helped support us by frequenting those business listed on the back of your Cruise-In 2011 t-shirt.

We look forward to Cruise-In 2011 and will strive to make it even better. The North Olmsted Fire Fighters 24th annual Cruise-In 2011 is scheduled for July 20, 2011. Check the Cruise-In 2011 page for this years Cruise-In flyer Also, please check the Cruise-In 2010 page for pictures from last years Cruise-In.

Anyone interested in having their car featured on the front of next years commemorative t-shirt and dash plaques please contact us as soon as possible at info@northolmstedfirefighters.com.

President Boatman said, “We voted that we have no confidence in Fire Chief Klecan. This was probably the most difficult task that we have individually and collectively have had to make since we have been on the fire department.” For years the fire fighters have wrongly overlooked the short comings and lack of leadership from Chief Klecan, but now with the layoffs and 20% reduction in on duty fire fighter and paramedic staffing we can not continue to ignore this lack of leadership.

Chief Klecan met with the officers of the Fire Department after stating that the Fire Department will be able to effectively operate with less fire fighters and paramedics on duty. He asked the officers how the Fire Department would handle the loss of personnel and be able to respond to emergencies because he was unsure since he hadn't been on shift in over 8 years. If Chief Klecan was unsure how or if the Fire Department would be able to handle the layoff of fire fighters and paramedics, then why would he state the Fire Department could do it when he didn't have the answer?

The North Olmsted Fire Fighters feel that this lack of leadership and planning will end up costing lives. Chief Klecan has failed to provide the fire fighters and paramedics with clear direction on how to handle emergencies with less fire fighters and paramedics.

It is because of his many short comings culminating with the lack of direction following the layoffs and reduction in available staffing that the North Olmsted Fire Fighters have voted "No Confidence" in Chief Klecan and ask him to resign for the safety of the community.