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Sugar Land Fire Department reports growth in calls, highlights whole-blood program and training expansion
Summary
Fire Chief Mark Campisi presented the Fire Department's FY2024 annual report to council, reporting about 13,000 incidents (roughly 8,600 EMS and 3,400 fire), an average first-unit response time of 8 minutes 37 seconds, 31,679 logged training hours, and 12 whole-blood administrations since program launch in May 2024.
Chief Mark Campisi told the Sugar Land City Council that in fiscal year 2024 the Sugar Land Fire Department responded to about 13,000 incidents, including roughly 8,600 emergency medical service calls and about 3,400 fire calls, a nearly 5 percent year-over-year increase in call volume.
Campisi described operational performance measures the department has started tracking, including an average first-arriving-unit response time of 8 minutes, 37 seconds; a target measure for getting water on fire within two minutes of apparatus arrival (42 percent measured in 2024 as the capture process is refined); and an "effective response force" metric measuring how long it takes to assemble a first-alarm force of roughly 19 personnel.
The chief highlighted the department's whole-blood program, launched in May 2024. He said crews administered whole blood 12 times during FY2024, noting four confirmed lives saved and five additional cases where earlier blood administration materially improved outcomes. Campisi said whole blood was used for trauma and medical bleeds, including gastrointestinal and pregnancy-related bleeding.
Campisi reviewed training and staffing developments: the department logged 31,679 training hours among roughly 40 personnel in FY2024, offered an officer leadership development pilot, expanded incident-command and regional training work, and established a training cadre of 16 employees to support a regional training hub. He also cited recruitment and retention as ongoing concerns and noted recent compensation adjustments that have helped hiring.
Operational changes described included a deployment shift (moving a ladder truck to Station 7 and an engine to Station 2) aimed at reducing the time gap between specialized ladder units and engines at high-risk locations. Campisi said the department is preparing standards-of-coverage and strategic planning work tied to GO bond projects and station rebuilds.
Council members commended the department; Campisi asked for continued council support through the budget process and for the city's strategic action planning alignment with fire department needs.
