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Phoenix fire officials outline hires, new stations and faster response times funded by transaction-privilege tax
Summary
Fire officials told the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee that a Transaction Privilege Tax increase and related funding will add 134 sworn firefighters, 19 civilian staff and new stations and apparatus; early data show localized improvements in ambulance and EMS response times.
Phoenix fire department officials told the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee on Nov. 5, 2025 that recent council funding increases tied to the Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) will finance new stations, apparatus and personnel intended to improve response times across the city.
Executive Assistant Fire Chief Tim Scribe said council action raised the TPT from 2.3% to 2.8% and that the department received a dedicated $25,000,000 allocation. "With those funds, we are bringing on 134 more sworn positions as well as 19 civilian professional staff positions," Scribe said during the presentation. The funding package also supports procurement of new apparatus and construction of two stations identified as Station 71 (Council District 2) and Station 93 (Council District 1).
Scribe and Assistant Chief Rita Riddle Bigler outlined how those additions are being phased. Battalion 8 and Rescue 12 are in service; Ladder 10 and Medical Response units are being added to high-demand districts. Bigler said the authorized sworn position count is 2,027, with a current filled count of 1,899 (including a recruit class of 48 on track to graduate in January 2026). The department plans a 65-recruit academy starting in February 2026.
Officials presented response-time data covering Jan. 1–Sept. 30, 2025. Citywide 90th-percentile critical EMS response time was 7 minutes, 16 seconds (NFPA's 90th-percentile standard is 5 minutes); first-arriving engine averaged 5:48 (NFPA target 5:20); first-arriving ladder averaged 10:11 (target 9:20). Scribe credited recent investments with measurable local improvements: Station 62’s opening (Nov. 2024) produced a 1:38 decrease in critical EMS times in its primary area and a 4:50 faster ambulance response; Rescue 12’s September 2025 entry into service sped arrivals in its area by about 3:07.
Officials also described operational changes: creation of an executive advisory committee with labor representation to manage procurement and construction; the use of online testing to expand the applicant pool (102 applicants from 24 states in the first cycle, with better test-taker participation); and a requirement that candidates maintain a current candidate physical ability test within six months of hire.
Council members asked logistics questions about the recruit pipeline. Chief Bigler said the online-testing window lasted three weeks; it took about a month to compile lists and notify candidates, with first- and second-round interviews used to make hiring offers. The department emphasized retention measures including wellness programs and improved facilities.
What’s next: The department plans to staff Rescue 1 and multiple medical response units in 2026, prioritize Medical Response 2 in Council District 2, and continue hiring and infrastructure work tied to TPT funding.
