Arlington Fire Chief highlights staffing, training and technology gains in 2024 annual report

Fire Chief Brett Stedham presented the Arlington Fire Department’s 2024 annual report at the June 10 work session, summarizing operational changes, personnel investments, training initiatives and new technology introduced to improve response and resilience.

Stedham said the department moved toward four-person staffing on front-line apparatus and hired 62 firefighter recruits plus 15 lateral-certified firefighters, changes he said improved firefighter safety, reduced turnout times and increased coverage. “This 4 person staffing on all of our frontline apparatus is having a very positive impact to our citizens,” Stedham said.

The department reported more than 4,200 hours of in-house continuing education in FY 2024 and ramped up leadership and specialized training — a multi-level leadership series, second-driver and aerial operations courses, and requirement for captains and higher to take incident safety officer training. Stedham also described technology changes that reduced turnout times: station alerting and a mobile app that let crews see calls earlier and mark themselves en route, which he said cut turnout times by about 8 percent.

Stidham reviewed partnerships and programs: the Community Impact Team is working with Tarrant County Public Health and an epidemiologist to address health needs; the Ready Care program helps residents cover ambulance costs; a renewed pipeline with Arlington ISD and Tarrant County College supports firefighter recruitment and training; and Metro X, a regional preparedness exercise funded by a grant of more than $550,000, will simulate coordinated complex attacks to build regional self-reliance ahead of large events. The department also expanded drone use for locating missing persons and to reduce apparatus responses during large events.

Council members praised training, asked about bunker-gear management and outdoor warning siren clarification. Councilmember Boxall questioned a proposed bunker-gear cost-saving measure; Stedham explained the quartermaster approach — keeping an in-house pool of cleaned, ready gear to reduce replacement purchases and long-term cancer exposure risks and estimated contractor cleaning costs at about $150,000 per annual cleaning and new-gear costs near $4,000 per set. On outdoor warning sirens, Stedham and staff said the “outdoor warning sirens” are used for multiple hazards and they would work with the Office of Emergency Management on clearer public messaging.

Ending: The department will continue steps — including international firefighter association events and regional exercises — to prepare for rising call volumes and major events in 2026. Stedham said an annual report booklet will be posted online and distributed to council members.