Tenn. fire chief plans department improvements

By Cliff Hightower
Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tennessee)

DAYTON, Tenn. — Dayton Fire Chief Charles "Chuck" Suttles said this week the fire department will update city firetrucks and make shift changes to ensure the city's ISO rating would not be harmed.

"It's going well," Chief Suttles said. "Some more than others share the vision."

The city opened bids last week on a new pumper that will give the city more water-carrying capacity and would help improve on ISO scoring, he said. He is also considering updating the kitchen and sleeping areas in the firehouse and going to a 24-hour shift for firefighters, he said.

Chief Suttles took over the Dayton Fire Department a month ago. Former chief Jack Arnold retired after a report from the University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service criticized the department for poor leadership and for deceptive practices during a 2001 ISO inspection.

ISO officials said in April they planned to visit Dayton. Chief Suttles said he has not heard from the inspectors, but has taken steps to correct deficiencies. He said 24-hour shifts would increase manpower from two to three per shift without hiring more firefighters.

Chief Suttles had said he expected the new pumper truck to cost up to $250,000. With all the bids coming in above that figure, he said he will review them this week and see if they can be trimmed. He said renovating the firehouse could be done for "minimal" cost.

City Manager Frank Welch said he hasn't heard from ISO either about a visit. "They said they'd work with us," he said. "Give us time to get our act together."

Vice Mayor John Heath said he has been kept abreast of the fire department changes and is impressed with Chief Suttles so far.

"He's torn that place up from stem to stern, from top to bottom," he said. "He's had a big job, and he's doing a fantastic job."

Mr. Heath said he knows upgrading the department will be costly, but it's necessary to preserve and improve the city's ISO rating.

"We've got the impression with all the stuff we're doing, it will help," he said.