Reno, Sparks and Truckee Meadows fire chiefs outline plan for regional dispatch, seek study on consolidation

Leaders from Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, the Reno Fire Department and the Sparks Fire Department told the Washoe County Board of County Commissioners on April 23 that they are moving forward on operational regionalization, including unified dispatch and unrestricted automatic aid, and that a legislative amendment to Senate Bill 319 narrowed the state role to a study the agencies support.

Dale Way, interim chief and CEO of Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, said the three agencies have met regularly since a February joint meeting to define the scope of “regionalization” and to draft standard operating guidelines so frontline crews respond the same way regardless of jurisdiction. “One of the biggest takeaways was to focus on regionalization of dispatch,” Way said.

Way and the chiefs said the region is continuing to pursue a CAD (computer-aided dispatch) upgrade with Hexagon, slated to go live between September and October, and that upgrades are central to smoother cross-jurisdictional dispatching. They described steps toward “closest unit dispatch” — sending the nearest available ambulance or engine regardless of municipal borders — and a push for unified response strings designed to reach NFPA-recommended on-scene staffing levels.

Reno Fire Chief David Cochran and Sparks Fire Chief Walt White joined Way in asking the commission to support additional steps: completing a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) for an operational and business-plan study and engaging labor groups early in discussions about regional change. “We will continue to collaborate on the RFP items for the study,” Way said; he added that the working group agreed to keep pursuing operational alignment regardless of the final action on SB 319.

The Legislature updated SB 319 during the session so the bill now directs a study rather than immediate consolidation or imposition of governance changes. Way said the amendment made the bill “a study that we’ve all been seeking,” and that it is likely to move to the Assembly. The chiefs said they had already testified in support of the study and that the working group had committed to proceed with its own study and business-plan work even if the bill’s outcome is uncertain.

Commissioners asked for additional detail on the RFP timeline, whether local or out-of-state contractors would be used, and how the work would be presented to governing boards in each jurisdiction. Way said the group expects a process similar to the prior regional dispatch review (the “Federal Engineering” model) and that the working group will bring a defined RFP back to the Truckee Meadows Fire board, the county commission and both city councils for review.

Commissioner Andrea asked whether current mutual-aid MOUs remain in effect while the work continues; Way said yes — mutual aid and auto-aid arrangements remain active even as agencies work toward more standardized, operational regionalization.

Why it matters: Regionalized dispatch and unrestricted automatic aid aim to send the closest, best-qualified resources to emergencies faster. That can reduce response times and improve outcomes for structure fires, major crashes and medical calls. The study directed by SB 319 (as amended) would outline governance options, costs, and timeline considerations. County staff and fire leaders cautioned the board that technical upgrades, policy alignment and labor engagement remain complex and will take time.

Next steps: The fire agencies will finalize the RFP and return it to the three governing bodies for approval; chiefs recommended prompt engagement with labor groups and a business-plan study so governing boards can make an informed decision about regionalization steps and potential cost or governance changes.