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Fire department reports hires, response times and battery safety campaign
Summary
Bunker Hill Village’s fire leadership reported average response times of 5:06 (June) and 6:06 (July), several new hires and an upcoming public education campaign on rechargeable battery fire safety; Deputy Chief Will Wyatt will retire in September 2024.
Chief Howard Miller and Councilmember Keith Brown (identified in the meeting as Fire Commissioner) updated the council on fire department operations Aug. 20, reporting recent hires, response‑time data and new public‑education priorities.
"The average response time for Bunker Hill was 5:06 in June, and 6:06 in July," Chief Miller said as he summarized performance and staffing. The department has hired three firefighters and a full‑time dispatcher and is accepting applications for an additional firefighter and a finance director position. Chief Miller also said Ladder 1 is out of service for maintenance and that Houston Fire Department will provide backup for incidents that require a ladder truck. Deputy Chief Will Wyatt is scheduled to retire in September 2024.
The department has initiated a public education campaign focused on fire safety related to rechargeable (lithium‑ion) batteries, citing growing concerns about battery‑related fires in consumer electronics.
Why it matters: response times and staffing levels affect the department’s capacity to respond to fires and medical emergencies; the retirement of a senior officer and the temporary loss of Ladder 1 have operational implications for mutual‑aid planning. The minutes record the facts reported and do not show that the council took formal action on staffing or equipment procurement during this meeting.
