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Harlingen Fire Department highlights training, CERT outreach and ISO upgrade
Summary
Harlingen Fire Department leaders presented department structure, training facilities and programs, a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) curriculum, a recent smoke‑alarm campaign and an ISO rating improvement from 3 to 2; commissioners encouraged broader CERT collaboration with neighborhood watch groups.
Assistant Fire Chief Daryl Loftus and Deputy Chief Joey Albritton briefed the Harlingen City Commission on department organization, training programs and recent community outreach.
Loftus described four department divisions (operations, training, support services and prevention), eight fire stations and a workforce that includes more than 110 career staff and several civilian employees. He and Albritton outlined training assets such as a burn building at the EOC—a grant‑funded project shared with Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District—and the department’s ARFF and wildland programs. The presenters said the department participates in a regional hazmat response and has specialized rescue teams for trench and confined‑space incidents.
Deputy Chief Albritton highlighted community programs: a recent smoke‑alarm campaign in which 76 homes received 125 alarms with partners including Rotary, the Red Cross and county offices; a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program structured on FEMA curricula offering a 20–30 hour course; and outreach with the school district that has produced recruits now employed by the department. Loftus noted Harlingen’s ISO rating improved from 3 to 2 in 2023, a reclassification the department said can reduce insurance costs for policyholders.
Commissioners asked whether CERT could be expanded in coordination with neighborhood watch groups; presenters said the program is modular and can be scheduled evenings or weekends to match community needs and that the department would provide a schedule if neighborhood groups expressed interest.
Budget and equipment figures were discussed: Loftus said the department’s annual budget is approximately $12,000,000 and that roughly 90% is salaries and benefits; he provided illustrative unit costs for engines, stations and personal protective equipment. Commissioners praised recent joint emergency responses during the spring flood and thanked the department for ongoing community work.
What happens next: Fire department staff said they will provide CERT scheduling information on request and continue joint outreach; the commission signaled support for expanding community training and emergency preparedness collaborations.
