Fire chief praises CARE team, gives EMS totals and station renovation schedule
March 16, 2026 | Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia
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Charleston's fire chief briefed the Public Safety Committee on the department's CARE response program, ambulance activity and capital work, saying the CARE team has helped connect people to treatment while freeing patrol officers for 911 calls.
A councilmember who witnessed a CARE-team response described workers arranging a ride and connecting a person calling 911 with recovery services. The chief said the program has produced strong feedback and helps reduce the burden on patrol officers.
"The care team goes in, starts taking those calls that frees up our patrol officers to go take more 911 calls," a participant said, describing the program’s social-work focus.
On EMS activity, the chief reported the department ran 13,586 EMS calls last year with five ambulances and estimated nearly 10,000 transports to hospitals, noting that Kanawha County crews also ran several thousand calls in the city. He said the department has begun E&S (emergency service) billing through a third-party vendor after county changes and has seen increased collections in the three months since implementation.
The chief said fire marshals are developing a building registry proposal that "probably will have to come to council for an ordinance," but they are still evaluating whether it will proceed. He also announced the department named its new boat for John William Cabell, the city's first firefighter to die in the line of duty in 1906.
The chief gave a renovation timetable: Station 4 is expected back online March 21, Station 2 around April 1, followed by work on Stations 5 and the central station. He said the department is preparing to hire 12 new firefighters and recently completed captain and lieutenant tests; promotions are expected within a month.
Councilmembers asked about ride-alongs and recruitment; the chief encouraged council participation and said the department can arrange short ride-alongs and station visits.
There were no formal votes on program changes; the committee closed after reports and a procedural adjournment.
A councilmember who witnessed a CARE-team response described workers arranging a ride and connecting a person calling 911 with recovery services. The chief said the program has produced strong feedback and helps reduce the burden on patrol officers.
"The care team goes in, starts taking those calls that frees up our patrol officers to go take more 911 calls," a participant said, describing the program’s social-work focus.
On EMS activity, the chief reported the department ran 13,586 EMS calls last year with five ambulances and estimated nearly 10,000 transports to hospitals, noting that Kanawha County crews also ran several thousand calls in the city. He said the department has begun E&S (emergency service) billing through a third-party vendor after county changes and has seen increased collections in the three months since implementation.
The chief said fire marshals are developing a building registry proposal that "probably will have to come to council for an ordinance," but they are still evaluating whether it will proceed. He also announced the department named its new boat for John William Cabell, the city's first firefighter to die in the line of duty in 1906.
The chief gave a renovation timetable: Station 4 is expected back online March 21, Station 2 around April 1, followed by work on Stations 5 and the central station. He said the department is preparing to hire 12 new firefighters and recently completed captain and lieutenant tests; promotions are expected within a month.
Councilmembers asked about ride-alongs and recruitment; the chief encouraged council participation and said the department can arrange short ride-alongs and station visits.
There were no formal votes on program changes; the committee closed after reports and a procedural adjournment.
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