EMS calls down in Charlottesville, while fire calls are up 

There is a lot that can be learned from the written report that Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders includes in packets for City Council. For instance, the Charlottesville Fire Department has presented data comparing fire and EMS in the first four months of the last three fiscal years.

“Comparing the first four months of FY25 to the same period in FY24, CFD incidents are up by 7 percent across all categories,” reads a section of the city manager’s report. “Fire incidents increased by 21 percent. EMS incidents decreased by 2 percent and all other types of incidents increased by 28 percent.” 

Fire Chief Michael Thomas also reported that 14 new recruits have graduated from training and will begin work on November 25. 

“After six months of rigorous, specialized training, the recruits have gained expertise in essential skills such as firefighting, emergency medical response, hazardous materials handling, and rescue operations,” Thomas said.  

Sanders reports he attended the October 30 ground breaking for what had been known as Premier Circle but is now Vista29. THe project is being shepherded by what had been known as Virginia Supportive Housing but is now Support Works Virginia.

In all there will be 77 studio apartments and three one-bedroom houses. 

“It will be a mixed-income community with a blend of units for homeless and low-income clients from Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville,” Sanders wrote. 

Both Albemarle County and Charlottesville have filed provided funding for the project to overcome cost increases. 

Deputy City Manager James Freas states in the report that he was part of a second delegation to Champaign, Illinois, to see how the Mass Transit District generates its own hydrogen fuel for a dozen buses. There was an open call for members of the press to go on the first trip in mid-May but there did not appear to be one for the October trip. I attended the first one if you’d like to go and learn more. 

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