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Le Mars fire chief asks council for funding for one firefighter and new engine amid staffing strain
Summary
The fire chief told the council he reduced a request for two full‑time firefighters to funding that would cover half the cost of one position after county and hospital funding requests were denied; he also outlined the need to replace a 2008 rescue pumper and described rising equipment costs and volunteer shortages.
Le Mars Fire Chief told the council the department is stretched thin and asked the city to fund part of an additional full‑time position and to proceed with planning to replace a key rescue pumper that the department expects to be 20 years old by delivery.
The chief said the original request sought two full‑time hires; the proposal has been scaled back so the city’s next-year budget would cover roughly half the cost of one position after the county and a local hospital declined funding. He linked staffing shortages to growing overtime and reliance on volunteer responders, and said the department is beginning to “burn guys out.”
“We asked for two. I was hoping to gain funding from the county, which they turned down. I was hoping to gain a little funding from the hospital. Didn’t get that either,” the fire chief said. He told the council the department is seeing increased call volumes and that many volunteers cannot reliably cover nights, weekends and holidays because they have full‑time jobs and other commitments.
The chief described the vehicle the department is proposing to replace as Engine 7, a rescue pumper that carries water and extrication tools and that was manufactured in February 2008; by delivery it would be roughly 20 years old, he said. He stressed long lead times for new apparatus and a recent upward pressure on prices: vendors warned of another $60,000–$80,000 increase next year because of emissions requirements and steel costs.
The chief also outlined equipment cost pressures: self‑contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) that once cost roughly $2,100 are now about $10,737, he said. He said donations and memorial funds cover many EMS and small‑equipment purchases, while large capital items such as engines and additional full‑time staffing are bringing the department to the council.
Council members pressed on funding timing and scope. One councilmember said he was reluctant to commit lost‑future tax revenues for equipment years ahead; the chief said the city need not pay until delivery but that manufacturers’ long build timelines make early orders necessary to maintain replacement schedules.
The chief described the city ambulance billing model: the ambulance bills a patient’s insurance and the department recoups costs that way, which is why he had asked the hospital for a contribution given shared service delivery. He said the department provides ambulance coverage to several neighboring towns and sometimes assists larger agencies with advanced life support, raising the argument that county or hospital contributions should help offset regional service demands.
The transcript records discussion and questions but no formal vote on hiring or apparatus procurement; staff said they will continue to refine budget proposals and outreach to potential partners.
