Fire district cites full staffing, seeks NFPA‑compliant physicals and to keep training officer position

Deputy Chief Kevin Nelson told commissioners that the fire district has achieved near‑full staffing for the second consecutive year and is investing in training and medical support to retain personnel and expand advanced provider capacity.

Nelson said the district currently has 14 advanced medical providers and two additional members in training; credentialed advanced providers receive higher pay and carry specialized first‑response equipment. “We currently have three recruits in our fire academy,” Nelson said, noting that the district will use a training officer to run the academy so other training functions can continue without disrupting operations.

Among the decision packages Nelson put forward are converting a temporary fire recruit training officer to a permanent position and funding NFPA‑compliant physical examinations. The department estimated the physical‑exam initiative would cost roughly $150,000 for a two‑year cycle to provide comprehensive testing—imaging, cardiac and other occupational health services—that go beyond standard annual primary‑care screenings.

Commissioners asked about KPIs and geographic response gaps; Nelson explained that an effective structure‑fire response requires an “effective response force” of 17 personnel and that aid agreements with neighboring full‑time services (Derby, Witchita—transcripts spellings vary) help meet response force needs in some areas. He also said volunteer departments are not counted toward the district’s effective response force because their rosters and training levels are not guaranteed on every call.

Next steps: the fire district will coordinate with county staff on implementation details and costs for the physical program and the permanent training officer position during the budget review.