Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Burleson fire chief warns of sustained overtime and readies for ISO resurvey
Summary
Fire Chief Casey Davis told council that sustained overtime since July 2025 — driven by vacancies, training requirements and unscheduled leave — is pressuring department staffing and could push overtime spending above budget; staff plans to start a peak-time ambulance program, use a workforce-training grant for paramedic schooling and prepare for an ISO resurvey in 2026.
Fire Chief Casey Davis briefed the council Jan. 18 on overtime trends, staffing and preparedness metrics ahead of a scheduled ISO resurvey.
Davis said the department has seen sustained overtime since July 2025 owing to a combination of unscheduled leave, personnel transitions and retirements, even as vacancies are being filled and a new recruit class completes training. The department expects to stand up a peak-time ambulance program this quarter when remaining equipment arrives and recruits finish training; council previously approved three new FTEs to support operations.
Chief Davis itemized training and certification demands that drive staffing needs: about 234 hours of annual fire-related training plus roughly 36 hours of EMS continuing education per firefighter, in addition to company- and officer-level training requirements. He and staff framed overtime in two buckets — "hard time" (minimum operational staffing) and "soft time" (training, special events, unscheduled leave) — and said that the department will continue monitoring and may seek budget adjustments if overtime remains above projections. Davis noted the department received a Workforce Commission training grant exceeding $80,000 to send six firefighters to paramedic school.
Davis also previewed an ISO resurvey that will examine fire operations, dispatch, water supply and prevention functions. He stressed that ISO considers systemwide readiness and that any rating maintenance or change depends on demonstrated operational plans and likely further investments.
Quote: "We've had sustained overtime since July 2025," Chief Davis said, describing drivers such as unscheduled leave and training demands and warning the council the department may need to return with budget adjustments if hiring and training progress does not reduce overtime.
Council response: Several members thanked the chief, emphasized the need to protect personnel morale and requested that staff watch overtime burn rates as the peak-ambulance program and Station 4 planning proceed.
