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Palm Coast City updates fire impact fee, says no new firefighting positions sought for 2026
Summary
City staff reported rising call volume and overtime pressures, described new station plans and equipment delays, and said they will not seek additional firefighting positions in fiscal year 2026.
Palm Coast City staff presented an update on the fire impact fee and department operations, saying the department will not request additional firefighting positions for fiscal year 2026 while continuing to manage overtime and staffing for rising call volumes.
The presentation matters because higher call volumes, station expansions and equipment delays affect response capacity and residents' insurance costs. Staff said changes tied to new stations and an improved ISO rating may reduce homeowners' insurance costs, while equipment delivery timelines and mandatory overtime remain operational constraints.
Speaker 2, Commenter, opened the exchange by asking about overtime and the trade-off between paying overtime and hiring more personnel: "I I just was here some issues with a lot of overtime that's that's been required. How are we doing as far as what we're paying in overtime versus kind of what the cost benefit would be to add personnel?"
Speaker 1, Staff member, answered that overtime has been high but remains within the personal services line and that the department is managing staffing levels without asking for additional firefighting staff in 2026: "we're not asking for any additional firefighting staff in '26." The presenter said the department currently has 75 full-time equivalents (FTEs), anticipates 76 FTEs, and that 74 positions are sworn firefighter roles.
Staff described operational context: call volume has risen to "well over 17,000 calls today," and some duties once considered collateral are becoming harder to maintain within shift staffing, which contributes to overtime pressure. The presentation noted forthcoming station changes: stations 22 and 27 are part of future plans, with a new, larger station 22 to serve the Seminole Woods area, where staff said more than 700 homes are occupied nearby.
On insurance and community impact, staff referenced the department's Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating, saying the city's ISO rating of 2 and station proximity to residents can materially lower homeowners' insurance costs; the presenter said, "we think the ROI just on residential homeowners insurance is north of 40,000,000 a year, for what we're providing."
Equipment and fleet issues were also discussed. Staff reported improvements in fleet readiness but said some apparatus require repairs offsite and that new apparatus have long lead times: "We could anticipate delivery 40 months from our commitment." The presenter said the department is assessing whether older vehicles can be moved to backup status to extend service life while awaiting replacements.
Staff noted an upcoming ISO evaluation within roughly 12 months and described supply-chain uncertainty for apparatus as an operational risk. No motions, votes or formal requests for additional staff for 2026 were recorded during the update.
The presentation combined operational data, planned station projects and equipment scheduling as staff and attendees discussed how to balance overtime, staffing levels and capital needs going forward.
