New fire department Automatic Aid Agreement promising

By Dave Pearce

Nearly all of southwestern Posey County will reap the benefits of a new Automatic Aid agreement that has been reached between the Mount Vernon Fire Department and Black Township Fire Department. And it doesn’t cost a thing.

The two departments have chosen to make the most of their combined resources when a fire call comes in and there will be multiple benefits. The obvious benefit is likely having a quicker response time as well as having the use of both the manpower and equipment of both departments. A side effect could put homeowners in a better position to save money on home fire insurance.

Mount Vernon Fire Chief Robbie Wilson said he is elated with the agreement and Black Township Chief Jay Price indicated the agreement is a win-win.

“Since I have taken over as Chief here in Mount Vernon, one of my main goals has been to improve the city’s insurance rating,” Wilson said. “To better that insurance rating, you need a certain amount of equipment and a certain amount of personnel. Both departments have the right numbers but we couldn’t use them because only one specified department was notified when a fire call came in. With Dispatch automatically paging both department on the initial call or fire alarm, you are guaranteeing an extra truck and manpower without having wait until you arrive on scene and then call for help.”

With the agreement, when a call comes in to Posey County Dispatch (your 911 service), both departments are notified at the same time. That means if assistance is needed from the other department, representatives are already on their way.

“Yes, the Automatic aid is a good thing for the everyone in the City of Mount Vernon and Black Township,” Price said this week. “We both acknowledge the fact that manpower is limited in today’s world. Auto aid is not a new thing in the fire service. But we were able to sit down and make it become a reality here.”

Both chiefs and staffs are excited because their number one priority is the people who might be in need at the time of the call.

“This gets more personnel and equipment enroute to a fire faster and that’s a win for whoever is having the emergency,” Price continued. “It also gets the closest apparatus to the call. Our main station on Industrial Road is definitely closer to the homes and businesses on the north side of Mount Vernon like Lawrence Subdivision. We also have an area on the west and east side of city that the Mount Vernon fire station is closer to than ours. When minutes count we both understand this is best for all.”

Price continued that the agreement will mostly benefit the area’s ISO rating which could help citizens see some reduction in insurance costs.

“One of the best things about this agreement is there’s no more cost to the taxpayer,” Price concluded. “We are excited for this new partnership and look forward to our agencies working closer together.”

Wilson gave an example of just how beneficial the agreement can be,

“Currently, if we get a fire call in the middle of the night, the guys have to get up, get dressed, get to the truck, and get to the fire and usually that’s about three-and-a-half to four minutes,” he explained. “By the time we determine we are going to need help, you are pushing five minutes. By the time dispatch pages Black Township out and they respond, we are looking at eight or nine minutes. Now, it is instant. The second the call comes in, we are both going. We are all notified through our radios and pages.”

Black Township firefighters will be coming into the city and Mount Vernon firemen will be going out into the country on every structure fire and fire alarm.

According to a post on Black Township Fire Department’s page, “This is a major milestone for our local fire service and a testament to what can be accomplished through cooperation and shared commitment. We would like to thank Chief Wilson and Chief Price for their leadership and dedication in making this partnership a reality. Together, we are stronger — and better prepared to serve our community.”