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Fire chief reports staffing improvements, local recruits and joint academy participation
Summary
The fire chief told council members the department is recovering from several injuries and has trainees entering the Joint Fire Training Academy and dual-enrollment programs, but vacancies remain and the department is pursuing homegrown recruitment strategies.
The City of St. Francis fire chief updated the council on personnel and training, saying several injured firefighters have returned or will return to duty and that the department is moving to recruit and train locally through dual-enrollment and joint academy programs.
The chief said one firefighter who had been injured in March is now back to full duty and another will return soon. A U.S. Army member recently returned to American soil and has 90 days to report back and may resume duty earlier by arrangement. The chief described an intern from Franklin High School who completed Fire 1 and EMT training and who is taking unpaid leave from an ambulance employer to attend the Joint Fire Training Academy.
The chief said the department posted for nine weeks and received three applicants, one quasi-qualified, prompting efforts to develop homegrown candidates. He described a new dual-enrollment program at the Milwaukee Area Technical College campus that allows a high-school senior to graduate with Fire 1, Fire 2 and EMT credentials and immediate eligibility for paramedic training. The chief said one candidate will start the Joint Fire Training Academy with suburban departments next Monday.
Why this matters: the department faces continued vacancies but is investing in local training pipelines that could create qualified recruits; council members were informed of staffing timelines and the department’s reliance on cooperative regional training.
Ending: The chief closed by thanking the council for allowing travel to a conference and noting the department’s positive staffing developments despite ongoing vacancies.
