CARMEL, Ind. — The Mayor of Carmel wants to spend more money on public safety.
Mayor Jim Brainard is proposing more than $30 million to be allocated for the fire department and more than $25 million for police in the proposed budget plan for 2020. A spokesperson for the fire department said their budget is around $30 million now, and the increase would come without raising taxes.
The plan is to hire 15 new firefighters and maintain six new fire stations across the Hamilton County city. It’s to facilitate the continued growth that Carmel has seen over the last decade.
“As the population within Carmel has doubled and tripled over the years, so has the number of responses that we have had,” said Carmel Fire Chief David Haboush.
Another expense they would like to pursue is a new ladder truck.
“This truck is very versatile in our community because it is an articulating vehicle in the middle and it can navigate alleyways and tight turns within the community,” Haboush said.
“It will help us tremendously,” Carmel firefighter Greg Webb added. “Right now, the way we run, if we get a working fire we have to call another agency to send us a ladder truck. Because our standard says we have to have two ladder trucks at every working residence fire.”
That means Carmel firefighters have to enlist the help of firefighters in Fishers, Westfield, or Indianapolis to come help every time they are called to a fire.
The Carmel City Council has until Nov. 1 to approve a budget for the city for 2020.
(PHOTO: WISH-TV)
