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Council adopts Iowa LOSAP program for volunteer fire and EMS
Summary
Denison City adopted a resolution to participate in the Iowa Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP) to support recruitment and retention of volunteer fire and EMS personnel; staff will return with program requirements for council approval.
The Denison City Council adopted a resolution to participate in the Iowa Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP), a state-enabled defined-contribution plan designed to recruit and retain volunteer fire and EMS personnel.
Dwayne (city staff) summarized the program’s mechanics: LOSAP operates similarly to a defined-contribution plan and allows pretax contributions; the state provides a match of up to $3 for every $1 contributed locally, capped at $500 per participating volunteer per year. "There’s a point system that shows you qualify," Dwayne said, describing training and call‑attendance criteria.
Staff estimated roughly 20 of the city’s current volunteer roster (about 28 total) might qualify in the first year. Council members discussed using already-budgeted stipend funds to seed the first year and asked staff to prepare program rules and bring them back for formal review. The resolution to participate in LOSAP passed on roll-call votes.
Why it matters: LOSAP provides a structured, partly state-matched incentive to support volunteer emergency responders in a region facing recruitment and retention challenges.
Next steps: staff to prepare formal program requirements and present them for council approval; the city will file the resolution with the state to register participation.
