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Fire leadership outlines retention, equipment and long-term planning needs
Summary
Fire department leaders described recruitment and retention challenges, long lead times and high costs for apparatus, a strategic plan for 2024–2028 and new programs including a cadet program and paramedic training support for staff.
Fire department leadership presented the department's strategic plan and described recruitment, retention and apparatus funding challenges to the Public Safety Committee.
Leaders said the department operates three shifts using a 48/96 schedule and that turnover among chiefs and other leaders has created instability; they noted roughly 11 chiefs in 19 years as context for retention efforts. The department reported it ran 2,980 calls last year and averages between six and 10 EMS calls per day. Fire leadership said recruitment and retention are constrained by competition from larger agencies, pay differences and the department's island location.
The department outlined a 2024–2028 strategic plan included in a briefing book staff distributed to council members. The plan identifies long-term financial planning for apparatus: a fire engine currently costs about $800,000, a ladder truck about $1.5 million–$1.8 million, and an ambulance roughly $400,000; manufacturers' lead times were described as up to three years. Leadership said they are discussing ways to smooth budget impacts by planning several years in advance rather than requesting large one-time appropriations.
The department is developing programs to address staffing and retention, including a cadet program aimed at high-school students and a proposal to pay for paramedic training for employees who commit to several years of service. Staff said paramedic training would be funded by the city with contractual agreements for a period of service (a current contract requires three years in the collective-bargaining agreement; council members discussed exploring a longer term). The department reported four new volunteers and described the significant upfront cost per volunteer (estimated training and equipment costs described qualitatively), and said it offers five preference points to volunteers on hiring exams.
Leaders also described plans for community programs such as monthly CPR classes and a potential community paramedic program to reduce nonemergent 911 calls by offering follow-up and primary-care linkage. Fire leadership said developing local healthcare resources would improve outcomes and reduce repeated resource use for nonemergent calls.
Committee members received the briefing and asked staff to bring budget and program proposals to the full council for consideration.
