Spokane fire leaders cite overtime, recruiting gaps and press for capital purchases and code changes

Fire officials told the Public Safety and Community Health Committee on May 5 that a recent string of retirements and other vacancies has driven a sharp increase in overtime and is shaping near-term staffing and capital plans for the Spokane Fire Department.

Interim department leaders and the assistant fire marshal described a package of proposals that would pair immediate capital purchases — funded by a proposed internal loan from the Spokane investment pool — with updates to the Spokane Municipal Code intended to reduce permitting costs for owners and recover some costs from repeat nuisance responses.

Chief Forbes, speaking for the fire department, said staffing losses were a major driver of overtime and service pressure and described efforts to accelerate an EMT class so new paramedics arrive at stations weeks earlier. "For 2025, we have 82% our EMS calls," Chief Forbes said while summarizing call-volume breakdowns. He also cited a string of retirements that he estimated produced hundreds of overtime shifts this year.

Assistant Fire Marshal Nathan told the committee the administration will propose several municipal code changes aimed at aligning inspection fees with actual workload and the current model fire code. That package includes: a revised fee schedule that aggregates square footage across…