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Bethlehem Fire Department eight vacancies; four recruits expected from Allentown academy in November
Summary
Chief Griffin told council the Fire Department is eight positions short; four recruits are due to graduate from the Allentown Fire Academy in mid‑November, and the administration plans two academy classes next year to address vacancies.
Chief Griffin told council on Oct. 14 that the Bethlehem Fire Department’s full staffing target is 104 firefighters (including the deputy chief and chief) and that the department currently has eight vacancies.
“We currently have 4 recruits in the Allentown Fire Academy that are scheduled to graduate on November 13,” Chief Griffin said. He said the four recruits are progressing well and are expected to join department staffing on the street in November.
Council members asked whether the vacancy level was increasing overtime costs. The chief confirmed overtime has been “a good amount” this year and explained that an earlier plan to send six recruits to the academy resulted in only four completing due to two candidates failing to complete required appointments, leaving two vacancies until the next academy class.
The administration said the 2026 budget anticipates two academy classes (planning to send up to 15 recruits in the budget cycle) so the department can address attrition and pending retirements. The mayor added that retirements over the last several years produced a large cohort of relatively inexperienced firefighters, and the city plans staggered academy classes to maintain staffing and training continuity.
Officials said several long‑term sick or injured employees also contribute to the overtime burden; those individuals are part of the department’s roster but not available to work. Council requested continued updates and the administration said it will present public‑safety memos during December finance meetings.
