Waco selects interim fire leader and moves to apply for SAFER grant to add 15 firefighters

The Waco City Council confirmed the appointment of the city’s internal candidate to the permanent position of fire chief and authorized staff to submit a federal SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant application on June 17.

Union leaders representing Waco Professional Firefighters attended the meeting to publicly support the internal candidate. Brent Weatherby, president of the Waco Professional Firefighters, and Philip Burnett, a union leader, praised city management for an inclusive selection process and urged the council to support the appointment.

City Manager Bradley Ford and multiple council members praised the candidate’s 28 years of service, leadership and continuity. The council voted in favor of the resolution to appoint the chief; the motion passed on a council poll recorded by Assistant City Secretary Spikes: Fairfield — yes; Lozano — yes; Porter Root — yes; Ewing — yes; Chase — yes; Holmes — yes.

Immediately after the appointment, the council considered a separate resolution authorizing the city to apply for a SAFER grant to fund 15 firefighter positions. City management said the federal request would be for a grant just over $3,000,000 that would fund 15 firefighters. The city’s total match across the three grant years is approximately $1,900,000 (a 25% city match in years one and two and a 65% match in year three), with the city assuming full staffing costs if the positions continue beyond the grant period.

Staff described how the grant would be used: three additional firefighters to bring Engine Company at Station 12 to four-person daily staffing to comply with two-in/two-out safety expectations for interior firefighting operations; and 12 firefighters to staff a dedicated heavy rescue unit (Rescue 1) at Station 1 to ensure around-the-clock technical-rescue readiness. Staff said Station 12’s closest backup can take nearly 9 minutes, 44 seconds to arrive from Station 2, and the additional staffing would reduce critical response-time gaps in outlying coverage areas.

City staff noted the heavy rescue truck was purchased in fiscal year 2024 for $1,500,000 and is expected for delivery in fall 2025; staffing it with grant-funded personnel would prevent leaving other units unstaffed when specialized responses occur. Staff also said the NFPA 1710 standard and Insurance Services Office (ISO) measures informed the request; current effective response force (ERF) levels to commercial structure fires assign 23 personnel while the standard requires 29 for full compliance, and improved staffing could help maintain the city’s ISO rating.

The council authorized application for the SAFER grant and approved the appointment. Staff said the SAFER application must be submitted by July 3 and award notifications would be made by August 18.

Votes at a glance: Resolution to appoint the fire chief — outcome: approved (Fairfield, Lozano, Porter Root, Ewing, Chase, Holmes — yes). Resolution to authorize SAFER grant application (resolution 2025-450) — outcome: approved (Fairfield, Lozano, Porter Root, Ewing, Chase, Holmes — yes). Motion details: mover/second not specified in the transcript.

What’s next: City will submit the SAFER grant application by the July 3 deadline; if awarded, the city will implement hiring, account for the required match in future budgets, and staff the rescue truck and Station 12 positions as described.