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Firefighters Urge Council to Prioritize Staffing and Equipment as Underpass Debate Continues

Normal Town Council · November 3, 2025

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Summary

Normal Firefighters (IAFF Local 2442) told the council their community needs study shows an 83.6% increase in emergency calls from 2006 to 2024 and urged officials to prioritize public safety investments while deciding on major capital projects such as the Uptown Underpass.

Representatives of the Normal Firefighters (IAFF Local 2442) asked the council to ensure public‑safety needs remain a priority as the town moves forward with the Uptown Underpass.

Chad Pacey, president of Local 2442, said the union supports efforts to improve pedestrian safety and accessibility but warned the underpass's high cost could divert funds from "staffing levels, response coverage, equipment needs" and other immediate public‑safety priorities. Pacey told the council that the fire union had provided members and the town with a data‑driven study documenting safety deficits.

At the close of the meeting, IAFF Local 2442 Vice President Zian Graden told council the union's community needs study shows call volumes rose "near 84%" between 2006 and 2024; he cited an 83.6% increase in emergency calls and said current deployment does not meet NFPA instant response standards. Graden urged council to review resource allocation and to prioritize investments that protect lives, and he directed interested residents to the study posted at normalfirecoverage.com.

Council members acknowledged the public‑safety concerns and several said they expect to continue working with fire leadership on staffing and capital needs as part of longer‑term budget and capital planning.

No formal action was taken on firefighters' recommendations during the meeting; the union asked that the council factor public‑safety needs into decisions on large infrastructure and tax measures already approved.