Fire chief: new Station 98 and nurse‑navigator program helping response times; garage fire contained with no injuries

The Fire Chief reported to the Desert Hot Springs Public Safety Commission on April 9 that the fire department responded to 513 calls for service in March 2026, 438 of which were medical calls. "We had an average of 4.03 minutes per call," the chief said, adding that 291 calls were under five minutes and 83 were just over five minutes.

March included four separate fires (a commercial truck fire, a residential-structure fire and several outside/small-vehicle or wildland fires). At one significant incident — a single-family dwelling with an attached garage — "the aggressive actions from the fire engines controlled the garage" and the fire did not extend into the residence; three adults and two children were displaced, and there were no civilian or firefighter injuries.

The department also described an operational change: a new "nurse navigator" program routed certain nonemergent 911 calls to a nurse who can provide triage and guidance, which the chief said reduced unnecessary engine responses (30 calls in March were handled this way). Commissioners and staff discussed apparatus assignment and cross-staffing as Station 98 and the Medic Squad are integrated with the Quint to improve coverage in areas with limited access.

Commissioners congratulated staff on Station 98 (ribbon cutting noted in commissioner reports) and asked follow-up questions about staffing and the planned distribution of paramedic resources. The chief said additional graduates from local training programs should help with staffing levels. The commission did not take action on any fire department motions at the meeting.