Chatham County fire chief outlines multi-year apparatus replacement plan and spotlights behavioral health response

Chatham County Fire Chief Vickers told the Board of Commissioners on March 27 that the department will phase in new aerials, engines and support vehicles to replace an aging fleet and reduce maintenance-driven downtime, and that the county’s Behavioral Health Unit has become a regular conduit to care for residents with mental-health and substance-use crises.

"We just moved from an old system to a new records system," Chief Vickers said, describing a recent transition that he said will yield more reliable data in future reports. He reported that, for the period covered in the presentation, the department logged 777 fire calls and 1,249 total responses and that medical incidents make up roughly 41 percent of calls.

The chief highlighted Engine 305 as the department's only ALS‑capable engine, reporting 147 ALS responses for that unit. He said the Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) recorded 325 calls over the reporting window, including 53 SWAT medic callouts; the BHU directly transported 49 patients and arranged 80 additional transports through partner services. Using the department’s clinical tracking system (Genesis), staff logged about 1,499 mental‑health–related records for the reporting period, Chief Vickers said.

"These are clinicians that enter this information," he said, calling the BHU a "specialized unit" that connects people who cannot otherwise access services and helps with tasks such as obtaining identification or arranging follow‑up care.

Commissioners used the presentation to press the department on service gaps and next steps. Commissioner Anthony Wayne Noah urged faster overnight coverage for BHU calls, saying "when you're dealing with BHU we all know time is of the essence and the morning might be too late." Chief Vickers acknowledged BHU staffing is currently daytime-focused and said expanding overnight coverage is a budget and staffing decision the county is working to phase in.

The presentation also reviewed training and operational readiness. The department said it delivers a wide range of training locally — from EMT/ALS instruction to technical rescue — and tracks thousands of training hours annually. The chief stressed that personnel qualifications must match equipment: an apparatus can be configured for ALS capability, he said, but paramedic staffing and medical equipment are required to operate at that level.

On fleet replacement, the chief outlined near‑term procurements and long lead times: a 2025 aerial already in service, two additional aerials expected in June–July, and five engines projected for delivery in late 2026 to early 2027. He warned that equipment costs have risen and lead times remain significant. "Five, six years ago, a good engine was around $500,000. Now they’re pushing $900,000 to a million," Chief Vickers said, attributing the rise to supply, labor and manufacturer consolidation.

Several commissioners raised operational concerns the report linked to insurance and response ratings. The chief explained the department’s split ISO classification (reported as a "3X"), what drives that designation (hydrant access, station location, effective response force), and how additional water‑tender capabilities and station siting affect insurance and community risk.

The board recorded and approved the action calendar later in the meeting. In discussion, commissioners asked the manager and the fire chief to return with more detail on BHU staffing options, funding implications for paramedic training, and a timeline for apparatus procurement and outfitting.

What’s next: the chief noted several upcoming items, including the GFSTC annual audit and recruit graduation; commissioners said they expect further briefings tied to budget requests and ISO-related capital needs.