Fire Territory Board Appoints New Chief, Asks For CARES Update
Fire Territory Board Appoints New Chief, Asks For CARES Update
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Fire Territory Board Appoints New Chief, Asks For CARES UpdateWith the official appointment of new Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory Chief Brian Mayo by the territory board Tuesday, the next position for the city to fill will be for the CARES program.
The Warsaw Common Council approved a resolution Monday night so that Mayo could be appointed fire chief.
Mayor Joe Thallemer explained that state statute requires that if a candidate for fire chief has not been a current member of the fire department for five years, they have to be approved by the council to become the chief. Mayo, 50, came to Warsaw from South Carolina, though he’s lived in Indiana most of his life and is a self-described “Midwesterner by heart.”
Thallemer asked the fire territory board Tuesday to appoint Mayo as chief, which the board did, and then Thallemer gave Mayo the oath of office.
Human Resource Director Denny Harlan said once they had the resignation from the previous chief, Garrett Holderman, in hand, they immediately started an internal and external search for Holderman’s replacement. About 30 resumes were received, and those were narrowed down to four internal and four external applicants.
After interviews, including with Mayo via Zoom, Mayo became a finalist and he was asked to make a trip to Warsaw for a face-to-face meeting.
“But at the end of the day, the qualifications were hands-down - the experience that he has had as an assistant chief and chief prior really helped him to stand out,” Harlan said.
Mayo has 32 years of fire service experience and 20 years of military service, Harlan said, so Mayo will be bringing a lot of leadership and mentorship “that we’ve been lacking in the department.”
Mayo told the board he did work in St. Joe county for a number of years and that’s where he ran across the path of some of Warsaw’s firefighters previously.
“The reputation of Warsaw has always been good, so there’s lots of talent inside, lots of good things happening inside, and I hope I can just flush those out and take the department in the direction it needs to go,” he said.
Board member Brandon Schmitt made the motion to appoint Mayo, Gordon Nash seconded it and Mayo was approved unanimously.
As part of a monthly response report, Battalion Chief Mike Brubaker reported the fire department had five structure-related fires for February, 143 EMS calls and 45 calls related to CARES (Community Assistance, Resources and Emergency Services).
Board member Brandon Schmitt asked if it would be possible sometime to get a report from CARES Coordinator Mikaela Bixler. Thallemer said that would be something they could discuss.
“I know she’s got that newsletter, but we’d love to hear from her at some point,” Schmitt said.
Thallemer said, at minimum, Bixler could provide the board with a written report.
“I’m just thinking about those 45 calls. Those are significant numbers and represent some good things happening, hopefully,” Schmitt said, so he’d like to hear more details about those if possible at some point.
Board member Mike Klondaris said that would be a good idea if it doesn’t put too much of a burden on Bixler as she is busy.
CARES Director and EMS Chief Chris Fancil said he didn’t see why she couldn’t make a little more formal presentation to the board. Bixler keeps reports on everything she does, but she also keeps a list of all the needs she has identified on a dry erase board.
Typically, Fancil said, Bixler’s schedule is 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, but it doesn’t always work that way.
Thallemer asked Fancil where they were regarding hiring the second CARES employee.
The new CARES position is being entirely funded for three years as part of a Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) grant. The new CARES person will lean more toward substance and opioid abuse, while still assisting people with mental health issues. CARES was started about three years ago to help people with mental health needs that the fire or police departments encounter.
Fancil said Harlan is just getting ready to advertise for the second CARES person. He said they’ve already had four or five people say they’re interested in the position.
Thallemer said, “It’s really gratifying to look down and - not that there’s 45 calls - but that there is that demand and it really makes us feel satisfied that we’re doing this the right way.”
Fancil said he was at a meeting last week and there was a local Narcotics Anonymous representative there talking about how Bixler has been “dealing with 1% of our community that has been sober for about two months and is building a supportive community around herself, so that we’re actually kind of backing away from her as she is creating her own - getting back into life, basically.”
There’s a gentleman that visits fire station 2 frequently whose wife died some time ago. “And we’ve helped him get back into life as well, so he has a girlfriend. He’s out doing things, and he starts breaking down into tears when he talks about what we’ve been able to do to help him get back into life. Those things make it all worthwhile. It’s just kind of a good thing,” Fancil said.
Schmitt said due to privacy issues they may not be able to share a lot of those stories, but “to hear those kind of stories directly from Mikaela would be just good to hear them, knowing that this program is successful from that standpoint, not just numbers.”
Fancil said he would see if he could get her before the board at the May meeting.
Thallemer said the program is definitely evolving.
