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Candidates clash over full-time fire/EMS transition and timing of a south-side station
Summary
Incumbent and challenger disagree about the city’s shift from volunteer to full-time fire and EMS and on when to build a south-side fire station; Dallas credited life‑saving outcomes and revenue while Theron praised volunteers and urged careful budgeting and grant use for new facilities.
Full-time fire and emergency medical services, and the timing and funding of an additional south-side fire station, were prominent topics during the mayoral debate.
Dallas defended his administration’s decision to move from an all-volunteer system to a paid, full-time fire and EMS model and said the change improved response times, saved lives and generated revenue through ambulance transfers. “When we decided to go full time fire and EMS, it was one of the greatest decisions we made in the city,” he said, adding that ambulance transfers brought “$1,200,000 in ambulance transfers income to our city.”
Theron acknowledged the importance of professionalized emergency services but emphasized that long-serving volunteers had already provided critical lifesaving service and that the city must be realistic about staffing and operating costs for a new south-side station. “I think the $1,200,000 for staffing, I think, is aggressive,” he said, arguing the city should consider grants and existing staff to staff a new station within two to three years without immediately raising taxes.
Why it matters: Emergency-service capacity affects response times and public safety across the city. Funding additions such as a new station require multi-year budgeting for facilities and ongoing personnel costs.
Details
- Transition and outcomes: Dallas said the full-time model improved emergency response and provided upgraded equipment. He described consulting with experienced chiefs in other cities during the transition.
- South-side station: Both candidates acknowledged a need for improved coverage in the city’s south end; Dallas said land had been negotiated as part of development deals and warned that a new station would cost $8–10 million to build with recurring staffing costs of roughly $1.1–$1.2 million per year if built immediately. Theron said grants could cover much of construction and that existing staffing adjustments could enable a new station within two to three years without immediate tax increases.
What was not decided: The debate produced no formal council decision or commitment of bonding for a new station. Candidates presented competing finance scenarios; neither presented a council-approved funding plan.
Provenance: Candidates discussed full-time fire/EMS and a south-side station during the mayoral debate; key remarks are centered near transcript times ~1850–1960 and ~2705–2833 where both candidates addressed the station’s cost and staffing.
