Eldridge volunteer firefighters announce resignation

Shortly before the Eldridge City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance that would make the fire department a city-run entity, the current staff of volunteer firefighters announced they would resign when the takeover happens on October 1. That is when the city plans to take over the fire and EMS operations.

The decision follows more than a year of discussions that ended with the city voting to create a city-run department in July.

“Our city is experiencing growing pains and that’s really what this is about,” Mayor Scott Campbell said at the meeting Monday night. “We’re a town of 7,000. Your calls keep going up. We agreed 15 months ago that at some point in time you would need to transition to a city department and that was the goal and plan.”

Between the verbal agreement and now, a rift has formed between the volunteer firefighters and the City of Eldridge.

“What has changed is not our commitment to Eldridge, what has changed is our confidence in this administration,” said Bryan Yanke, a lieutenant for the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Co. “This administration has signaled in both its decision and its public comments, that its intentions to move forward without the operational leadership and infrastructure necessary to sustain fire and EMS services in this community.”

The city posted a new job opening for a fire chief position on August 4. The current plan is for the chief to be the only full-time employee in the hybrid fire department. For this to happen, the city council must vote on the ordinance two more times.

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