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Council hears staffing contingency plan for Fire Station 3; SAFER grant still sought
Summary
City staff outlined recruitment and budget contingencies for Fire Station 3 and said the city will not assume SAFER grant funding in the FY26 budget. Tests scheduled through November could produce enough hires for an intended June 2026 station opening, but staff said hiring remains the main risk and the budget will be built assuming the grant is
City staff provided a staffing and budget update April 20 for Terrell’s planned Fire Station 3 and the department’s SAFER grant application.
Senior policy analyst Omayra Mata and the city manager described recruiting phases: background checks on current applicants, a July testing round, and a November round if needed. Staff said the current applicant pool could yield about four hires after backgrounding; additional hires from July and November tests could allow full staffing in time for a June 2026 station opening but staff characterized that as an aggressive schedule.
The city seeks a SAFER grant that would provide approximately $5 million over three years to subsidize firefighter salaries; staff said they will not build the FY26 budget assuming SAFER grant receipt. Instead the budget will be drafted conservatively as if no grant arrives. If the city cannot hire at least a dozen to 15 new firefighters on the planned schedule, opening and operating Station 3 by June 2026 could be delayed or require interim overtime and resource reallocation.
Council members asked for continued updates; staff confirmed they will plan for the worst and seek to maximize test participation and hiring in the July and November cycles to meet operational needs.
