The city is moving forward with a study of the Fire Department, nearly a year after pledging to review firefighter safety in wake of the line-of-duty death of Lt. Jason Menard.
The city said this week it had hired Emergency Services Consulting International of Virginia to study the Fire Department. The consultant is seeking input about the department through survey questions posed to community and business stakeholders in the city.
The study will lead to an in-depth internal assessment and strategic plan, the city said in a statement. The surveys aim to help ensure that the resulting strategic plan meets the expectations of the city and its residents.
On Nov. 13, a house fire on Stockholm Street claimed the life of Menard at age 39. His was the department’s second line-of-duty death in less than a year.
A month after the death of Menard, a married father of three, City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr. announced his intention to name a task force to look at firefighter safety.