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Council reviews fire budget, ALS training and a proposal to explore county absorption
Summary
Council heard Fire Chief Brad Suffolk outline personnel and equipment requests — including funding for ALS training and a $37,000 fire assessment study — and held an extended debate about ALS capability, medic clearance, recruitment challenges and whether Hernando County should absorb fire services; council requested more data and a county workshop.
Brooksville’s City Council spent a large portion of its June 24 budget meeting on the fire department’s proposed FY2024–25 budget, ALS capacity and a broader question about county consolidation of fire services.
Fire Chief Brad Suffolk said the largest budget increases are personnel costs tied to proposed wage adjustments and a planned Stantec fire assessment study (about $37,000) to update assessment rates. Suffolk said the department received a Florida Department of Health EMS grant to support the purchase of a Polaris side‑by‑side vehicle; the city’s local match is $6,250. He described the vehicle as useful for downtown events and quick access in areas not served well by larger apparatus.
Suffolk also reviewed a proposed ALS training stipend. The department budget reflects a roughly $15,000 increase to fund advanced life support (ALS) training and the stipend for paramedic school; Chief Suffolk said paramedic training costs about $7,500 per person and that the city requires a signed service agreement if it funds training.
Council members pressed the chief on staffing levels and medic clearance. One councilor said the department currently has “3” ALS‑certified staff but that “6 is optimum,” a figure the chief confirmed as a target for stable ALS coverage. Suffolk explained an administrative hurdle: medics must be cleared by a medical director to perform ALS duties on behalf of the city, and that clearance process has delayed full ALS deployment. He said the city has pursued an ALS workshop and scheduled follow‑up with the county to seek progress.
The meeting also included a strained but substantive debate about whether Hernando County could absorb the city’s fire services and ‘keep the Brooksville identity’ while improving pay and benefits. Proponents argued consolidation could stabilize staffing and benefits; opponents warned of lost local control, pension complications and uncertain net savings. Staff noted the city’s interlocal agreement requires May 1 notice for changes tied to MSTU (fire assessment) funds; that legal/deadline constraint both limits and motivates the timeline for any consolidation discussion.
Actionable next steps: Council requested a breakdown of district‑chief positions and payroll structures to identify options for reclassification or other incentives that might improve recruitment and retention. The council scheduled a county‑level discussion (an August 1 meeting was referenced as an ALS and county admin meeting) and asked staff to return with numerical comparisons of pay and benefits and any formal offers from the county.
Context: Speakers repeatedly noted statewide competition for medics and paramedics and the challenges small jurisdictions face when neighboring governments can offer higher pay and family‑friendly insurance plans. No formal decision on consolidation was made; councilors asked for more information before taking any action.
Quotes: Chief Suffolk: “It’s going to be a huge safety concern … we need to be competitive in this market.” Council discussion emphasized the May 1 contractual notice requirement for MSTU funds and the need for more concrete cost comparisons.
What’s next: Staff will return with a staffing/pay breakdown, further information on medical‑director and clearance options, and an update from the scheduled meeting with county officials.
