Photo by Jon Anderson.
The Hoover Fire Department’s Rescue 46 medical rescue vehicle was pulled out of reserve status and put into frontline duty after private ambulance companies quit serving Hoover in April.
The Hoover City Council on Monday night gave approval for the Hoover Fire Department to apply for a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help hire seven additional firefighters to staff a fifth transport unit.
The Fire Department began having to provide most of its own transportation for patients that need emergency room care in 2022 after Regional Paramedic Services quit serving the Hoover area, Chief Clay Bentley said.
The department has four rescue units staffed every day and two additional rescue units that are “cross-staffed” by personnel allocated to fire engines, Bentley said. The rescue units are stocked with equipment for advanced medical care and can transport people to hospitals immediately.
When the fourth primary rescue unit was added, the department pulled personnel off fire engines to accommodate that change, Bentley said. Now, due to increased call volume, a fifth rescue unit is needed, so more personnel are needed.
The Fire Department has been asking for additional staff in recent years’ budget requests, but those requests have yet to be granted due to revenue limitations, so the department is looking for alternative ways to fund those positions.
If Hoover is successful in getting the grant, the city would be responsible for 25% of the cost of salaries and benefits for the seven personnel for two years, then 65% of salaries and benefits in year three and 100% of salaries and benefits in year four, Bentley said.
In other business Monday night, the Hoover City Council:
- Gave approval for the Fire Department to seek reaccreditation from The Commission on Fire Accreditation International.
- Amended the city’s 2025 budget to provide an additional $145,000 to cover additional unexpected expenses associated with improvements to Hoover Metropolitan Stadium for the SEC Baseball Tournament. That money will come from a pool of money that was borrowed for that project.
- Amended the 2025 budget to move $50,000 of money left over from a sidewalk project on Al Seier Road to cover additional expenses associated with a sidewalk addition on Old Columbiana Road.
- Certified Councilmen Steve McClinton and Casey Middlebrooks as winners in the 2026 election due to no one qualifying to run against them in the Aug. 26 election. McCliinton and Middlebrooks are both incumbents and will begin serving their new terms in November along with the other five council members who will be elected this year.
- Agreed to provide $9,700 to help send Miss Hoover Emma Terry, who is now Miss Alabama, to the Miss America competition.
- Gave approval for two couples from Chelsea, Christian and Sarah Wright and Randy and Stacie Quinn, to open an indoor golf simulator business called The Back Nine at 2815 Greystone Commercial Blvd., in the former Bedzzz Express Outlet store next to Issis and Sons Flooring. iin Greystone. Read more about The Back Nine here.
- Approved licenses for Vons to sell alcoholic beverages at 3601 Market St. in Ross Bridge, Tap Ins to sell alcoholic beverages at 5844 Elsie Road in Knox Square and Umi Sushi Poke to sell alcoholic beverages at 2539 John Hawkins Parkway, Suite 141, in the Trace Crossings shopping center where Publix is.
- Received a report from Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Cornett about the outside audit performed on the city’s fiscal 2024 financial statements. The complete audit report will be made available on the city’s website, officials said.
- Approved policies and procedures for the city’s purchasing practices and for employee travel reimbursement, giving formal, written approval for practices that already are in effect, Cornett said.
- Declared properties at 425 Shades Ave., 2413 Regent Circle and 3456 Blueberry Lane as public nuisances due to high weeds and/or grass and agreed to pay to have the grass and weeds cut at 2125 Tyler Lane, 2152 Larchmont Circle, 2337 Tyler Road and 2882 Wisteria Drive and to have the owners of those properties charged for the work.
- Joined Mayor Frank Brocato in declaring July as Parks and Recreation Month and encouraging people to take advantage of the city’s parks and recreational amenities.
