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Fire chief highlights accreditation, equipment needs and plans for a fourth station
Summary
Fire Chief Garretson told council the department won international accreditation and outlined 2027 CIP requests including an ambulance, thermal cameras, battery extrication tools and an upgraded station alerting system; a feasibility study supports a new Station 4 in 2028.
Fire Chief Garretson presented the Fond du Lac Fire Rescue 2027 budget overview on July 8, emphasizing the department’s recent international accreditation and several capital needs tied to response capability.
Garretson said the department was "unanimously voted on by the commission" of the Center for Public Safety Excellence to receive accreditation for the next five years, and that the self-assessment process helped align budget priorities with best practices. He outlined the department’s 2027 CIP requests: ordering an ambulance (funded from a special revenue account), replacing end-of-life thermal imaging cameras, investing in modern battery-powered extrication tools to replace heavier hydraulic equipment, and replacing an aging station alerting system whose vendor no longer supports parts.
Garretson also summarized a 2025 feasibility study recommending construction of Fire Station 4 to improve response coverage in the North Central area of the city; the recommended site is city-owned property at 365 North Main Street with potential construction in 2028 pending administration approval. The study used GIS analysis and NFPA 1710 travel-time standards to identify a coverage gap.
On operations, the chief reported that the agency responded to 7,929 calls for service in 2025 (6,646 prehospital EMS responses and 1,283 other incidents, including 81 fire incidents), an average of more than 21 calls per day. He noted that false alarms numbered 358 in 2025 and that fall-related EMS calls remain the department’s largest single call type.
Council members asked about lead times and budgeting for apparatus: Garretson said custom fire engines can have lead times around five years and ambulances about two, and the department uses prepayments or timed borrowing to ensure vehicle delivery. He also said overdose calls have declined in recent years, in part because of public access to Narcan.
Garretson closed by thanking city administration and council for support and said the accreditation and proposed investments will help sustain high service levels for residents.
