Union-backed study says Bethlehem Fire Department falls short of NFPA benchmarks; committee hears budget memo

Bethlehem — A union-commissioned staffing and response study presented Oct. 29 to the Bethlehem City Council Public Safety Committee found the city’s fire department falls short of national staffing and travel-time benchmarks and recommended adding personnel and a new station to improve citywide coverage.

Lou Jimenez, president of Local 735 and a lieutenant in the Bethlehem Fire Department, told the committee the GIS-based analysis — prepared with the IAFF GIS division and data provided by the city — shows the department does not meet NFPA 1710 targets for first-arriving unit travel time and initial assignment manpower. "We do not hit any of these benchmarks, and that's alarming," Jimenez said during the presentation.

A memorandum from Business Administrator Eric Evans, read into the record by a staff member, said the city issued an RFP on Sept. 9 for an "objective comprehensive fire and EMS apparatus protection and efficiency study" and plans to review vendor responses the week after the meeting. The memo also summarized proposed 2026 fire-department budget items: a $15,000,000 proposed operating budget that includes a 3% salary increase (not including overtime), sending…