Richardson Fire Department reports 14,982 calls in 2024, outlines staffing and long lead times for new apparatus

The Richardson Fire Department presented its calendar-year 2024 annual report to the City Council, reporting personnel levels, call volumes, training hours and priorities that include mental-health supports for staff and work to address electric-vehicle and lithium-battery fires.

Chief Puvey said the department had 184 approved full-time positions and 183 filled at the time of the report. The department recorded 14,982 calls in 2024 and 24,035 apparatus responses (multiple vehicles respond to many incidents). Puvey highlighted training totals — including more than 36,700 fire-rescue training hours and more than 10,000 paramedic continuing-education hours — and multiple life saves during the year.

The chief described several capital and equipment milestones: replacement of an ambulance and an engine at Station 4, replacement of the hazmat unit, placement of a new blocker unit and continued progress on Station 5 construction (substantial completion anticipated in mid-2025, with the full project scheduled for later in the year). He told council that apparatus lead times have lengthened substantially: about 18–24 months for ambulances, 36–40 months for engines, 48–50 months for quints and about 50 months for aerial trucks. The chief said the city requested an apparatus item on the consent agenda to lock in pricing and lead time.

Puvey reviewed prevention and investigation work, saying the department completed 2,243 inspections and 442 fire investigations during the year; investigators filed one criminal case related to an incident. He also noted continued outreach such as a CPR event with Methodist Richardson Medical Center and the university emergency medical response team's role in campus EMS calls.

The report addressed firefighter health and wellness: the department provides mandatory fitness time on shift, annual NFPA physicals and a peer-support program; the city-funded mental-wellness check-ins are in place and the chief said many members used the counseling option. The chief and an assistant chief described statewide and national research and collaboration on lithium-battery fires and noted those incidents create toxic smoke and can generate heavy cleanup costs and special gear-decontamination needs.

Councilmembers praised the department and asked operational questions. Councilmember Barrios thanked crews for a personal response to a family emergency and asked about progress on lithium-battery research; the chief described local working groups and national research and said the issue remains a high priority for fire services.