Fire Chief Warner told council at the July 24 budget workshop that Keene's call volume has been rising and the department plans to add personnel next year to reduce chronic understaffing. "Our current staffing levels, we have 4 a day," Warner said, and he cited National Fire Protection Association standard NFPA 1710 as the benchmark indicating the city should have about six per day. "So we've always been understaffed," he said.

Warner presented call-volume figures that show a rising trend: staff reported around 1,500 calls in FY2023, 1,875 in 2023–24, and current-year counts of roughly 1,654 with a projection to reach 2,204 by the end of the fiscal year. Warner said projected population growth would push calls higher still and estimated a potential 36% increase tied to a hypothetical 2,500-person population increase.

Chief Warner also discussed capital and program needs. He said an additional ambulance is needed and included an estimated replacement cost of about $450,000. He described the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS), which would allow Keene to send registered vehicles (brush truck and tanker for wildland response) to state deployments and be reimbursed for vehicle use and personnel costs; Warner and the city manager said reimbursement would offset upfront costs and could be a revenue source for the department.

Warner flagged a forthcoming Texas Commission on Fire Protection requirement for cancer screening for firefighters: "Budget about $800 per firefighter," he said based on industry estimates, and described an expected rule requiring testing after a firefighter has five years of certified service and then every three years thereafter. Warner said the law's effective date and testing details are still under discussion, and the city is preparing for implementation.

No formal council action was taken; staff said funding and staffing decisions will be considered when the full budget book is presented.