Paris fire chief says department short-staffed, aging apparatus; outlines measures and calls for pay study

Paris Fire Chief Thomas McMonigle told the City Council on Aug. 25 that the department has lost 10 firefighters since Christmas and is having difficulty recruiting and retaining personnel.

“We've lost 10 firefighters since Christmas,” McMonigle said during his presentation. He told the council a personnel survey showed a bottleneck in communication between leadership and line firefighters; the department has since started monthly shift meetings and posted message boards to improve transparency.

McMonigle described steps the department is taking to reduce wear and maintenance on ageing apparatus: since April the department has used a squad response for many medical calls — sending a brush truck with two personnel for lower-acuity calls rather than an engine with four — and reported maintenance cost reductions from an average of $8,800 per month (Oct–Mar) to about $4,700 per month since the change.

He said apparatus replacement planning resumed after securing a tax note and emphasized the fleet is aging (the newest apparatus is a 2017 model). The chief also described staffing shortfalls against National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1710 benchmarks: the standard calls for four personnel per engine and a target of 16 personnel on scene at a residential structure fire; Paris currently runs below those levels. McMonigle said the department would need roughly nine additional firefighters to meet minimum recommended staffing levels and that opening an additional station and buying an engine would carry significant budgetary impact.

McMonigle also said the department will undergo an ISO rating review this fall; because the department is currently unable to meet NFPA 1710 benchmarks, the ISO rating could decrease, which could affect insurance ratings for some property owners. He reported ongoing facility maintenance needs including kitchen and HVAC repairs at Station 1, and said city management is conducting a pay study to address compensation competitiveness after McMonigle’s informal survey showed surrounding cities offering substantially higher starting pay (Greenville and Sherman localities reported in the $67,000 range in his remarks versus Paris beginning firefighters near $48,000–$49,000).

Council members praised the department and urged support. Council asked for comparative pay data and for staff to continue work on pay, scheduling options (a switch from 24/48 to 48/96 schedules was under consideration), and long-term apparatus replacement planning.

No formal council action was taken on the fire report during the meeting; the item was presented for council receipt and information.