Wichita Falls council approves four additional firefighter ranks to reduce overtime, support crisis response

Wichita Falls — The City Council on May 20 approved an ordinance amending Chapter 50, Article 2, Section 34 of the city code to increase the number of authorized firefighter ranks from 72 to 76, a change city staff said will reduce overtime and support the Crisis Aid Response Team (CART).

City staff presented the proposal as a budget-neutral measure to cut overtime and to provide a dedicated EMT position for the CART program. The staff presentation said the first three added positions would cover minimum staffing gaps created by routine leave and training; a fourth position would specifically backfill work when an EMT is assigned to CART.

"It would help reduce overtime, 100% and for those 3, so for those 3, it'd be covered by the reduction in overtime," a city staff member said during the Council presentation. The Fire Chief added, "I've been in his office every Friday at 10 for about a year talking about this," and said the department expects to start a second academy if the ordinance is approved.

Council members voted by voice to approve the ordinance. Staff said opioid-abatement settlement funds—described in the presentation as having a balance of over $400,000 after prior awards—would be used to fund the CART-related position for a period while the program continues. No specific long-term funding plan was adopted during the meeting.

The ordinance changes the number of authorized firefighter ranks in the city code; the council did not adopt an accompanying amendment to the pay or classification schedule at this meeting. The Fire Department said its next steps, if the ordinance is in place, are to begin a recruitment academy to fill the new positions and to monitor overtime reductions.

Council action on the ordinance was recorded as a voice vote in favor; no roll-call tally was taken on the record.