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Bozeman fire chief reports rising call volume, accreditation and staffing gains
Summary
Fire Chief Josh Waldo told the commission the department added 12 firefighters through a FEMA SAFER grant, gained accreditation in 2025, and is seeing increased call volume (EMS accounts for 46% of calls) with response‑time metrics noted for follow‑up.
Fire Chief Josh Waldo presented the Bozeman Fire Department’s 2025 annual report to the City Commission on April 7, describing staffing increases, accreditation milestones and growing call volumes.
Waldo said the department added 12 new personnel funded in part by a FEMA SAFER grant, and the department completed accreditation work in 2025. He noted that emergency medical service calls dominate the workload (about 46 percent) and that the department saw an upward trend in call volume in 2025 and into the first quarter of 2026 — "through the first quarter, we're 20% ahead of last year," he told the commission.
Waldo explained the department reports 90th‑percentile response times rather than averages because the 90th percentile captures consistent performance for accreditation. He said dispatch processing time improved from 2024 to 2025 but remains above desired levels (reported at about 2 minutes, 59 seconds in 2025) and contrasted that with National Fire Protection Association guidance for shorter processing expectations. He emphasized that the department’s turnout measures are within targets but drive time is the principal factor affecting overall response time.
Waldo also discussed station reliability, noting Station 1 remains busiest and Station 2 will benefit from a recently commissioned quick response vehicle. He flagged a persistent service gap in the southwest corner of the city and said the department is coordinating with Gallatin County on EMS delivery and system design.
Commissioners asked about dispatch processing and potential system improvements; Waldo said staff are testing a "pre‑learning" process to streamline 911 triage and get resources en route more quickly. He closed by noting equipment updates in progress, including a ladder truck ordered in 2024 with an expected delivery that staff currently estimate may arrive in 2028 due to supply‑chain timelines.
No formal action was required; the report was informational.
