Matrix study says Norman fire calls rose about 79% since 2014; recommends new stations, staffing and safety positions

Matrix Consulting Group told the Norman City Council on Feb. 4 that the city’s fire department has seen a large jump in call volume and will need new stations, higher minimum crew sizes and dedicated administrative and safety staff to sustain response performance.

Robert Finn, senior manager with Matrix Consulting Group, summarized the firm’s fire findings, saying the “call volume for the fire department has increased, significantly … roughly 79% from about 11,000 to just over 19,000 since 2014,” driven primarily by medical-assist calls. Finn said a citizen survey included in the study found 47% of respondents felt service levels and speed of response had declined over the prior three years.

The study compared local performance to national benchmarks. While NFPA 1710 recommends a four-minute travel-time standard for career departments in many urban settings, Matrix said that standard was not attainable across much of Norman and advised the council to adopt locally calibrated targets (urban, suburban,…