The Lima Rotary Club welcomes Lima's new fire chief.
Lima's new fire chief, Jack McDermitt has big plans for the department. McDermitt told us that discussions are underway for a new fire station and the total renovation of the Central Fire Station on Main Street. He says that the existing stations are old and aren't adequate for the scope of the job. A perfect example is Central Fire, which was built in 1975 and is Lima's newest fire station. When it was built, only three vehicles were housed there. Now it houses 12 vehicles, a boat and a rescue trailer. Also, the women's locker room isn't large enough for all three female firefighters currently assigned to the station. He says the Ohio Fire Chiefs' Association is doing a study on the best location for a new station. Chief McDermitt told us that one of the department's biggest challenges is hiring and retaining employees. He says that two years ago, the average length of service for Lima firefighters was nearly 20 years. Now it's 8. He says they're having a hard time finding people to apply, and when they hire new firefighters and get them trained, larger cities hire them away. McDermitt thanked retired Chief Andy Heffner for his 29 years of service with the department.
Also at Monday's meeting, Bob Ruehl gave us an update on MESA. Medical Equipment and Supplies Abroad was founded in 1981 by the Rotary Clubs of Northwest Ohio. MESA collects and sends used medical and educational supplies around the world to countries that need it. In 2022-2023, 32 shipments were sent to Ukraine, Lebanon, Panama, Mexico, Grenadines, St. Vincent and Belize. He encouraged us to get involved with MESA and make a real difference in the lives of people around the world.
Dick Schroeder also took the stage to congratulate our newest Paul Harris fellows, Jeff Lee and Lynn Carpenter. Thank you for your generosity!