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Shawnee council hears fire 2026 budget; department plans ALS transition, station work and strategic plan refresh
Summary
Fire Chief Rick Potter presented the fire department’s 2026 budget at the June meeting, describing a planned transition to advanced life support, ongoing station remodels and a near-term strategic plan update. The presentation was informational; no council action was taken.
At a June City Council meeting in Shawnee, Kansas, Fire Chief Rick Potter presented the fire department’s proposed 2026 budget, emphasizing an operational transition to advanced life support, ongoing station remodels and efforts to reduce firefighter exposure to carcinogens.
Potter said the department’s near-term priorities include completing a two-year transition to advanced life support (ALS) medical services, continuing station improvements (noting requests for work at Station 72 and Station 74 in the capital improvement plan), and implementing cancer-prevention initiatives tied to facilities and procedures.
He described the department’s fund structure, including the general fund for salaries and operations, a shared public safety fund for apparatus and larger capital items and an equipment and facilities reserve fund used for major building repairs. Potter said revenues from a recently approved contract with MedAct will be directed into the fire facility reserve for future capital improvements.
Potter said operations account for roughly 90% of department personnel and expense, with the remainder in strategic services staff who support training, planning and administrative work. The department is monitoring increasing call volumes and response times in parts of the city and said it is tracking those metrics as it plans staffing and capital needs.
He told the council the department’s current strategic plan is set to sunset at the end of the year and that staff have been collecting input for a replacement plan they expect to finalize before year’s end. Potter said he prefers a three-year plan rather than a five-year plan for nearer-term adaptability.
Potter also noted regional work on adoption of the 2024 International Fire Code, saying Deputy Chief Sands and the city’s building official are coordinating that effort. The chief said the code update is a substantial undertaking that involves regional partners beyond the city.
The presentation was informational only; the council took no vote on the fire budget at the meeting. The council subsequently moved to adjourn.
