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Port Richey fire chief reports improved readiness, hydrant mapping and steps toward ALS
Summary
Fire leadership told the council the department has improved readiness since recent hurricanes, documented all city hydrants, pursued multiple grants, and is close to starting advanced life support (ALS) service, while volunteer recruitment and staffing remain challenges.
Port Richey — Fire department leadership gave a state-of-the-department briefing at the Port Richey City Council meeting on Feb. 25, describing a series of equipment purchases, grant awards and operational changes that staff say improved emergency response during recent storms.
The fire chief said the department has invested in equipment and training that addressed earlier weaknesses: additional four-wheel-drive vehicles, a brush truck, small rescue boats, an air trailer to refill SCBA bottles, and a firefighter gear decontamination washer funded by a grant. The chief said the fleet and equipment upgrades were used repeatedly during recent incidents and in Hurricane Helene responses.
Department metrics presented to the council show the department responded to 1,563 incidents in the prior period summarized by staff, with medical calls comprising…
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