VERNON TOWNSHIP — The new fire chief in Vernon Township has experience in the department and in a nearby community that’s seen similar growth.
Charles “Chad” Abel started his part-time role as chief on March 9. He joined the department as a firefighter and paramedic in January and is a 31-year veteran of fire, rescue and emergency medical services. Abel is a captain with the Fishers Department of Fire and Emergency Services and a 22-year counselor at Hoosier Burn Camp, a nonprofit organization that provides experiences for young people who have suffered severe burn injuries.
“What excited me about that opportunity was looking at the growth potential in Vernon Township,” Abel said of his new role. “Both Fortville and McCordsville, that whole area, really honestly reminded me of beginning my fire service career in Fishers, just as that department really started to take off and grow and meet the needs of the community. I see those same things happening there.”
Abel described his leadership style as that of a motivator.
“I love the fire service, I love firefighters, I love what we represent, I love what we are to the community,” he said. “…I really view my leadership style as bringing that passion and sharing that passion with those that do the day-to-day work.”
And in the two months he’s been with the Vernon Township Fire Department, he’s seen a lot of motivated firefighters, he said.
“For me, I just really have to give them the tools to do that, give them the direction and then get out of their way and let them perform, let them be who they are,” he said.
Florence May, Vernon Township trustee, said in a news release that 36 applicants sought the position.
“We were impressed with the caliber of our candidates,” May said in the release before thanking the fire department, township administrative staff and township board for their support during the search process.
Abel replaces Todd Jordan, who resigned from the department in January.
Abel leads a department with its share of challenges. Leaders say Vernon Township’s growth will soon demand a full-time fire department. Both of the townships to its south, which have similar populations, have had full-time fire departments for years.
Vernon Township just started 24/7 on-station fire service last year, at its new station in Fortville. Before that, when an emergency struck, firefighters with two paid-per-run outfits had to head to stations from wherever they were before responding.
Leaders have spent the past several months working on special state legislation that would allow Vernon Township to raise its maximum property tax levy for fire and emergency medical services up closer to its neighbors’ levels.
This week, that effort was dealt a blow when the language was stripped from a bill before heading to an Indiana Senate vote.
Abel said it’s important to trust in the process and recognize the township has a trustee and board that’s committed to finding financial resources.
“In the day-to-day right now, I look at those challenges and realize that No. 1, we are sitting in a position that the department itself and fire protection in the area has improved,” he said.
Abel added it’s the job of everyone on the fire department to use its resources as wisely and efficiently as they can.
“I don’t know what tomorrow brings,” he said. “Certainly our challenge with the tax levy is going to continue to stretch us a bit; they’re going to continue to challenge us to think about things in different ways, but that said, we’re prepared. We’re looking at ways we can sustain service where it’s at and still step things up.”
