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Fire & Rescue seeks nine new operational positions, fire marshal and $2.2 million ladder replacement phased over four years
Summary
Chiefs told the board the department responded to 7,649 incidents in 2024 (up 5.45%) and requested nine new operational positions (costing roughly $918,692), a full-time fire marshal, and a $2.2 million replacement aerial truck to be funded across multiple fiscal years.
Warren County Fire & Rescue presented a multi-part FY26 request that included staffing increases, equipment replacement and operational funding after reporting a rise in call volume.
The department reported 7,649 total incidents in 2024, about a 5.45% increase from 2023, and said certain stations show disproportionate call loads. Chief-level staff told supervisors the department is asking for nine operational positions — to be distributed across shifts and designed to reduce overtime and improve coverage — with an estimated total cost (including uniforms, gear and soft costs) of about $918,691.
The department also requested a dedicated fire marshal position (cost estimate $127,353) to absorb a growing scope of permitting, inspections and pre-incident planning that is now handled as collateral duty. On apparatus, Fire & Rescue recommended replacing Truck 10, a 2002 aerial device, with a new ladder truck estimated at $2.2 million; the department proposed phasing that cost with approximately $550,000 allocated per year across four years during procurement and build-out. The presenters noted the National Fire Protection Association’s guidance on aerial-device replacement cycles.
Additional cost-recovery and operational requests included increased line items for vehicle repairs, fuel, training, EMS operations and ongoing items such as ambulance replacement planning and medication-exchange programs. The department said the cost-recovery program is projected to generate $1,328,000 in revenue in the projection discussed.
Board members asked about residual value for the old aerial unit (chiefs said resale value would be modest) and the timing of phased payments; presenters confirmed staging procurement payments over multiple fiscal years would be a recommended approach.
The board received the presentation as part of FY26 budget deliberations; no formal appropriations or votes on these requests were recorded in the transcript.
