Columbia fire officials emphasize firefighter wellness, training upgrades and Narcan mapping to guide grant spending

Health and safety and operations leaders told the Columbia City Public Safety Committee on Feb. 17 that department efforts in 2025 included expanded wellness services, training facility investments and data‑driven overdose response planning.

Injuries and wellness services: Chief Uso reported that the department recorded 76 apparatus incidents and 65 on‑duty firefighter injuries in 2025; staff said there were no serious injuries requiring hospitalization. The department described an employee assistance ecosystem and a 24/7 post‑trauma counseling program run by Post Trauma Resources; staff said about 80 individual personnel used the program in 2025 and there were roughly 148 family sessions.

“the flow counselor is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” Chief Uso said, describing the program’s around‑the‑clock availability.

Cancer prevention and decontamination: Presenters said the space‑needs study includes hot/warm/cold‑zone design and decontamination processes so stations better protect firefighters from carcinogen exposure; staff also outlined ongoing PPE decontamination and exposure reporting efforts. The department said these facility and procedural changes are intended to support long‑term health and preserve operational readiness.

Training facilities and burn building: The department thanked council members for funding a burn building and argued for a training tower and additional logistics space to keep up certifications and training hours that support the Class 1 ISO rating. Staff said the burn building is underway and that a training tower remains a priority.

Overdose response and Narcan mapping: Staff showed a zip‑code heat map of Narcan administrations, noting red areas where Narcan use increased in 2025; the map was produced by Miss Amy Free for neighborhood safety staff and is intended to guide SCORE grant investment decisions. Department presenters said Narcan administrations are administered by fire crews when there is an indication of opioid use and that the geographic data will inform neighborhood‑targeted prevention and grant allocation.

Community programs and prevention: Presenters also noted smoke‑alarm blitzes (more than 200 alarms installed in a single day in one neighborhood), youth‑engagement academies and substantial community outreach metrics (press releases, interviews and online inquiries) as part of prevention and risk‑reduction work.

Next steps: Staff said they will share detailed wellness, training and Narcan administration reports with council and the joint fire committee to inform budget and SCORE grant decisions.