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Fire Chief Henley highlights ISO Class 1 rating, EMS gains and station planning in annual report
Summary
Fire Chief Henley reported that the Fire Department maintained high ISO and EMS performance, described station relocation and design work for Stations 3 and 6, and outlined hydrant testing, training and EV‑fire response plans.
Fire Chief Henley told the Smart Growth Commission that the Flower Mound Fire Department remains an ISO Class 1 agency, is expanding training and station planning, and recorded rising call volumes that are stressing resources.
Henley said the department covers 47 square miles with roughly 148 members and 20 front‑line apparatus. The department recorded 7,564 calls last year — a roughly 69% rise in call volume over the last decade — and he said EMS performance indicators are strong: a reported 38% return of spontaneous circulation in cardiac arrests that were treated and transported from the field.
Henley described an emphasis on training to meet ISO and Texas Commission on Fire Protection compliance, noted nearly 5,000 hydrants across town and said the department flushes hydrants at least annually and flows 20% per year to measure gallons per minute. He said recent work caught up missing records and testing required for ISO audit readiness.
On operations and facilities, Henley said the department is designing Station 3 and Station 6 upgrades, considering relocating administrative functions near a police station site to improve efficiency, and evaluating apparatus life‑extension measures. He also described occupational‑health initiatives, referencing the Wade Cannon Act (House Bill 198) and expanded cancer screenings for firefighters and staff.
Answering commissioners, Henley explained how the department handles staffing and burnout in the busiest Central District through dynamic staffing and rotating personnel, how commercial inspections validate third‑party inspection tags for hoods and extinguishers, and the department's approach to electric vehicle fires: specialized training, plug devices and a strategy to "protect exposures" and, in some cases, allow an EV to burn rather than incur hazardous runoff and exposure risks.
Commissioners thanked the chiefs. The commission adjourned after receiving both annual reports.
