The city's safety chiefs presented their monthly reports to City Council's Safety Committee Wednesday.
Acting Fire Chief Ron Likley asked the committee for a recommendation to prohibit the use of Sky Lanterns in the city.
According to Likley, this request arose from an inquiry about the use of the lanterns at a wedding, which is expected to take place in downtown Wadsworth this spring.
Likley distributed information on the lanterns and the precautions for their use. The lanterns are made of tissue paper on a frame with a wax fuel cell in the middle. When the fuel cell is lit, the lantern fills with hot air, which causes it to rise.
Precautions concerning their use include never flying them within five miles of an airport and not releasing the lanterns next to roads and other public thoroughfares. In addition, the lanterns are to be used when there is almost no wind and not to be used in dry areas.
The committee recommended that Law Director Norman Brague take up the issue for possible legislation.
Likely also informed the committee the fire department made 18 runs in January and the emergency medical services, 173. Both the fire and EMS services are under the command of the fire chief.
The position of fire chief became vacant at the beginning of the year when Fire Chief Ralph Copley retired at the end of last year. Safety Director Matt Hiscock told the committee the vacancy was posted and the written examination for the position will be administered Feb. 25 and the oral interview Feb. 27.
Human Resources Director Jim Kovacs said four are expected to take the examination to be administered by Ramsey and Associates. Hiscock explained all those taking the examination are from within the department since Wadsworth is a statutory city.
Police Chief Randy Reinke informed the committee the police department had 1,073 calls for service in January, which was an increase over January of last year. He did note the number of written warnings and traffic citations by the police dropped during January compared to January of 2012.
Reinke also acknowledged the department had received a grant of $5,222 to purchase Tasers. He also explained the department had presented a safety program to the staff of Sacred Heart School and the public library. The same program is expected to be presented to the public school staff on March 28.
