Fire chief warns 15% budget cut could shutter companies; city grapples with aging stations and rising equipment costs

Fire Chief Chris Costamania told the Sacramento City Council on Tuesday that the fire department has expanded demands amid retirements and city growth and that proposed large budget reductions would threaten companies, stations and response times.

Costamania said the department has about 178 firefighters and 24 stations serving the city and contract areas, and that the agency handled roughly 79,000 medical calls and about 5,700 fire calls in the most recent year presented. He warned that a 15% budget reduction for the department — which he described in budget scenarios as roughly $23.4 million — could result in the closure of up to eight companies.

Why it matters: Costamania said Sacramento's geography and recent vertical and infill development — including future growth in the railyards — mean the department needs modernized facilities and more companies to keep up with demand. He told council members that some stations date to 1933 and that the department has not added a fire company since 2016.

Supporting details and context

The chief outlined operational pressures including large call volumes per company: he said 17 of the department's companies exceed the national suggested average of 3,500 calls per year, 11 run over 4,000 calls and five run over 5,000 calls. He described the department's three priorities: continued investment in personnel and wellness; volume‑reduction strategies and interagency coordination; and modernization of facilities and technology.

Costamania also described equipment and procurement challenges: apparatus costs have risen substantially (he estimated engine prices have roughly doubled in recent years) and current lead times to build new apparatus can be as long as 41 months. He cited capital needs in the city's 10‑year capital improvement program, noting the city identified hundreds of millions of dollars in station replacement and modernization needs.

Council follow‑up and options

Council members asked whether planned infill projects such as the railyards would trigger additional station needs; Costamania said he disagreed with an earlier staff view that existing River District coverage would suffice and urged that planning account for geographic barriers and vertical density. He proposed ramping up hiring cadence (two academies per year) to reduce mandatory overtime and stabilize staffing.

Costamania presented three broad options: full investment with a detailed study to guide staffing and facilities; partial improvements that accept manageable risk; and minimal investment leading to slower responses and greater risk to life and property.

Attribution

"If we were faced with a full 15%, it would look like closing or shuttering 8 companies in the Sacramento Fire Department," Chief Chris Costamania said at the meeting. Council members asked staff to consider updating the city's 2016 standards of response coverage report to reflect current population and development patterns.

Ending

Council members requested more data and an updated station/standards assessment; staff said they would provide additional information to council and to the EIFD and Budget and Audit committees as the budget process continues.