BY KEVIN ALDRIDGE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP -- Five months ago, Bill Kramer wasn't sure if he wanted to be a fire chief anymore -- especially in such a small community as Deerfield Township.
Chief Kramer, an author and educator, was working as a firefighting consultant when township trustees offered him the top position in their new fire department in May.
But having just recently retired from the profession, Chief Kramer, 54, was hesitant about taking the job.
"I really wasn't looking for a fire chief's position at the time unless it was with a larger department (like) Cincinnati or something," he said. "I was pretty content teaching and doing consulting work. So initially, I wasn't very excited."
However, Chief Kramer's lack of excitement soon blossomed into a desire to make Deerfield Township's fledgling fire department into one of the best units in Southwestern Ohio.
"The more I stayed around town and got to know the people, the more I realized that I had an opportunity to do something here that I couldn't do anywhere else," he said. "I could build up a fire department from ground zero and mold it into the ideal academic model."
Chief Kramer said residents will see that model when the new Deerfield Township Fire Rescue begins serving township residents today.
"This is going to be a totally professional operation, and I doubt that many residents will recognize the difference in service between us and the joint district.
"We are going to have more on-duty personnel at each of our stations 24 hours a day," he said. "I think people will see quicker response times and even more of a community presence than they saw with the joint district."
Operating on a $2 million budget, funded by a 3.95-mill levy passed in August, the new department has eight full-time positions and 76 part-time ones, Chief Kramer said. He said a large majority of the township's firefighters come from the joint fire district. "There were a lot of tough career choices that had to be made over the last few months by some people," Chief Kramer said. "We are just thrilled that many of the joint district's firefighters wanted to come over to the township."
Chief Kramer said he and Mason Fire Chief Billy Goldfeder were able to maintain a friendly and professional working relationship during the break-up of the joint district. It eased the process of dividing assets and hiring employees.
Chief Kramer said he will now focus on being a good leader and providing service to the residents of Deerfield Township.
"The people of Deerfield Township want a fire department that focuses on their needs, and I think that we are going to provide them with that service and much more."
Chief Kramer, who has more than 30 years of firefighting experience, took an interest in it as a young child. In 1973, he started as a firefighter in Cincinnati's Fire Division -- a career that spanned 22 years. He was promoted to assistant chief in 1993. He left the Cincinnati Fire Division in 1995 to become fire chief at the Indianapolis Airport Authority.
He held that job until early 1998, when he retired briefly to work as a consultant and educator.
Chief Kramer said his goals for the new department include having a zero fatality rate and emphasizing fire-protection education with school children and businesses.
"This is an exciting time for Deerfield Township," he said. "And I think we are all looking forward to the challenges that await us."
