VERNON TOWNSHIP — 2024 was a year of remarkable growth for McCordsville and Fortville, which means it was a busy year for Vernon Township Fire Department.
When Vernon Township and the towns of McCordsville and Fortville joined together to form the territory in 2020, they jointly committed to career firefighters and paramedics, a second fire station in McCordsville north of the railroad tracks and modern apparatus to replace 30-year-old fire engines.
“We have accomplished all of these goals while improving the insurance rating in 2024,” Vernon Township Trustee Florence “Flory” May said. “The new insurance rating (3) went into effect April 1.”
A rating of 3 indicates the community has a well-established and organized fire department, fully equipped with reserve apparatus, and a good water supply. This new rating may result in a significant decrease in annual insurance premiums within the fire department’s service area.
May said the whole department has come a long way quickly since 2019, when a public safety task force was created to address the increasing number of dispatch calls to the volunteer fire departments. That’s when Vernon Township Fire Department was established, with Station 431 in Fortville completed and staffed by part-time and volunteer firefighters.
“The VTFD was certified for EMS service thanks to our first full-time employee, EMS Chief Kiely Culberson,” May said.
In January 2020, VTFD began EMS service. That March, the Indiana General Assembly and Department of Local Government Finance recommended forming a fire territory. After three public meetings, McCordsville, Fortville and Vernon Township voted to form the fire territory, and VTFD took delivery of a new ambulance.
In 2021, the fire territory received partial funding, hiring nine career firefighter/EMTs and buying two fire engines to begin modernizing. By 2022, the territory was receiving full funding, additional career firefighter/EMTs were hired, and a mobile home was placed at McCordsville Volunteer Station. VTFD began responding from both McCordsville and Fortville, and construction of a 24/7 station in McCordsville began.
In 2023, Station 432 opened in McCordsville with 10 new career firefighter/EMTs. Chief Mark Elder became the first full- time fire chief.
In 2024 the department became a certified training facility and led a 10-month class producing 13 new advanced EMT’s. The department’s second ambulance arrived. VTFD participated in 37 different community events and was featured as a “Model Territory” at the Indiana Township Association annual conference.
Total statistics for 2024 included having 33 career first responders who went out on 1,807 incident responses. This was a 7% increase from the prior year and over 70% of emergency calls occurred in residential areas. The response time for runs was listed at 6 minutes and 48 seconds on average. The department also took part in 551 fire prevention inspections and spent 9,693 hours in training.
In addition to EMS and fire service, Vernon Township provides some financial assistance to people in need. Statistics show township leaders approved $59,000 in assistance funds. The department ended up fulfilling 167 requests for hardship assistance with housing, utilities, medicine, cremation and food.
The most common referrals, some 182, were for Connection Center, ICAAP, Love INC, Salvation Army, the warming shelter and Senior Services.
