Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fire And Building Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ames fire department seeks one firefighter, advances Station No. 2 relocation and safety programs
Summary
Fire staff proposed a 4% operating increase that includes one new firefighter FTE and further study of an ISU parcel for Station No. 2; council voted to ask staff for recommendations on carbon‑monoxide detectors in rental properties.
Ames Fire Department leaders told the council on Feb. 5 they are proposing a 4% increase to the fire safety budget for 2025–26 that includes adding one firefighter position to suppression and brings the department to 63 FTEs, staff said. The department also reported ongoing work on relocating Station No. 2 and on evaluating options for a fourth station as Ames grows.
Fire Chief (name not provided in the transcript) said the department is pursuing a parcel on Iowa State University land south of the shared‑use path near the Baker subdivision for the Station No. 2 relocation. He said soil samples and a conceptual study have been completed, the city manager allocated funds for further study, and the city had issued an RFP for architectural and engineering services with interviews planned; staff said a consultant award and cost estimates would return to council in coming weeks.
On longer‑term coverage, deputy chief Tapper described an interim approach under review that would convert a single‑family house into a temporary station in a growth area to reduce response time without immediately building a full station; staff said similar house‑conversion concepts have been implemented in other communities. Council members noted potential neighborhood concerns (noise, sirens) and staff said engines delay siren activation until on arterials and that outreach would accompany siting plans.
The department highlighted training investments and operational upgrades: live‑fire training took place using structures provided by Align Energy, which staff said allowed high‑value hands‑on training; the department described low‑frequency/high‑risk special operations (confined space, grain bin rescue, rope and water rescue) and a cost‑saving retrofit that converted a former hazmat vehicle to a special‑operations support unit for roughly $80,000 rather than buying a new $800,000 apparatus.
Staff also showed a 27‑foot mobile command trailer now in the fleet for multi‑department use and explained a FEMA fire prevention and safety (FP&S) grant the department secured to replace the aging Safe House trailer with an all‑hazard, ADA‑accessible unit (award reported at $235,000 with a small local match).
Building safety: city building official Sarah Van Midren reported no proposed fee increases for building or rental permits and said inspectors issued an eight‑year high for total permits despite continued decline in single‑family residential permit counts. Sarah described routine rental inspections and examples of unsafe conditions inspectors find, and requested policy direction where the state requirement does not currently mandate carbon‑monoxide detectors in all rentals.
Council action: during the building safety discussion a councilmember moved and another seconded a motion asking staff to prepare a memo with best practices and recommendations on carbon monoxide detectors and where they could be required in Ames; the motion passed with council affirmation.
Ending: Chief and building staff said they will return with the Station No. 2 contract award and cost estimates, and building staff will draft the memo on carbon‑monoxide detector practices and potential rental code changes.
