Eldridge City Council to Hire New Fire Chief and Oversee Fire Department Transition and Second-Story Expansion

On this VIDEO episode of Southeast Iowa Today, John Bain attends the Eldridge City Council meeting where long-standing questions about the future of fire protection and emergency medical services finally came to a head. After months of discussion—and repeated coverage on the podcast—the council unanimously voted to hire a new Fire Chief and move forward with the logistics of the transition, including construction of a second-story addition to the fire station. The decision prompted several members of the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Company and some attending residents to leave the meeting. Their body language suggested clear disappointment with the outcome. It all happened July 20, 2026.