BLACKLICK — Mount Vernon resident Crystal Dickerson-Erskine was sworn in as chief of the Jefferson Fire Department on Tuesday.

A 10-year resident of Mount Vernon, Dickerson-Erskine is a native of Jefferson Township. She joined the department as a volunteer in 1982, and was hired as a full-time firefighter in 1986. She became assistant chief in 2001. During that time, Dickerson-Erskine has seen some changes.

“There have been immense changes in safety,” she said. “There are a lot of guidelines in the proper maintenance of trucks. We run fire and EMS here at Jefferson, and all of the firefighters are [now] paramedics.

“The fire service has energized over the years,” she continued, adding there is an increased emphasis on keeping the firefighter safe. “We were an agricultural community; now we are a commercial and suburban community.”

The fire district has a population of over 8,000; Dickerson-Erskine will command around 58 full- and part-time firefighters.

“We protect portions of Reynoldsburg, Gahanna and Jefferson Township,” she said. “We’re splitting at our seams now. We’re in the process of building a second station. That is our big goal right now.”

In addition to focusing on the new station, which Dickerson-Erskine said will hopefully be completed by the end of 2010, she will look to increase the command staff of the department. The goal of the changes, she said, is to reduce the response times in order to serve the public better.

A 10-year resident of Mount Vernon, Dickerson-Erskine attended Mount Vernon Academy for two years. Several family members now also reside in Mount Vernon.

Dickerson-Erskine succeeds retiring Chief Dale Ingram, who will retire July 29. Dickerson-Erskine will assume command July 30. She knows challenges lie ahead.

“I have a lot of support; I am getting along with the firefighters well,” she said. “There will be challenges, but to state what they will be, I can’t say. I’ll have to cross each bridge as I come to it.”