The Jemison City Council unanimously voted Monday to approve renovations at the Jemison Fire Department to help with emergency transport operations.

The council heard from Jemison Fire Chief John Dennis, who explained that he would like to create a dormitory at the fire station that would allow two volunteer firefighters to sleep at the station and respond to any emergency transport calls during late night hours.

“All of the calls we respond to now are during the daytime hours because that is when someone is at the station,” Dennis said. “Having the ability to build the dormitory that would allow two people to sleep at the fire station would allow us to respond to more calls.”

Dennis said the renovations would include one bedroom with two beds and a shower installed with the work for the renovations being done in-house.

“We won’t have to hire anyone to do this work,” Dennis said.

Jemison Mayor Eddie Reed asked Dennis how many calls the emergency transport system had responded to since September.

“We have responded to more than 80 calls,” Dennis said. “There are other calls we have not been able to respond to because no one was at the station.”

Dennis estimated the work for the renovations would cost between $8,000-$9,000.

Dennis said the two volunteers who would stay overnight in the dormitories would be paid $25 per transport.

“This is a service that is valuable to our city, and this work will only enhance that service,” Reed said.

The council unanimously voted to approve money for the renovations to be made at the Jemison Fire Department.

In other news, the council:

•Approved a motion to post an in-house position for an assistant court clerk.

•Approved a motion to approve a new computer purchase for the Jemison Municipal Court.

•Approved a motion to approve Dennis from part-time to full-time at Jemison Fire Department at the same pay rate.

•Approved a three-year contract with Waste Pro.

•Approved an ordinance adopting an international building code and a penalty for the violation of the code.