Fire chief recommends fourth station and interim tactics as DeSoto sees rising call volume
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Summary
A 2023 feasibility study and 2024 call volumes prompted the fire chief to recommend adopting a 5:30 response goal (90th percentile), pursue a fourth fire station in the hospital district and seek grant funding for a public safety complex; interim measures include adding squads, another ambulance and a towing 'blocker' service.
Fire Chief Brian Suther reviewed a 2023 fire‑station feasibility study and 2024 service statistics, telling the council that DeSoto’s emergency‑response travel times exceed national benchmarks and that rising call volumes require both short‑term operational changes and long‑term facilities planning.
The study recommended a target travel time and a 90th‑percentile performance benchmark; Suther said national standards (NFPA and CPSE) set a 4‑minute travel standard at the 90th percentile, but the study recommended a pragmatic city target of 5 minutes 30 seconds at the 90th percentile. He reported 2024 90th‑percentile travel times of about 7 minutes for EMS and 7 minutes, 11 seconds for fire responses.
Suther said the department ran 11,802 calls in 2024 with 17,163 unit responses (multiple apparatus dispatched to many calls). The feasibility study called for designing and constructing a fourth fire station in the hospital district and monitoring southwest‑corner density; Suther said the southwest area could reach the study’s population threshold for an additional station by about 2028.
Suther outlined near‑term “stop‑gap” measures intended to improve coverage while longer‑term facilities and funding are pursued: piloting “squad” quick‑response units (smaller two‑person rigs that provide rapid on‑scene care but do not transport), adding a fourth ambulance in service and contracting towing providers (a "blocker" arrangement) to handle crash clearance so fire apparatus need not be used for towing tasks. He said staffing and a large capital cost make station construction expensive; the city is pursuing grants and has discussed a potential public‑safety complex and a possible $22 million funding request to support design and construction.
Councilmembers asked for periodic updates on response times, implementation of pilot measures and grant status. Suther and the city manager said they will seek grants (including SAFER personnel funding) and present cost estimates for council consideration.
