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Friendswood staff recommends one‑year extension for volunteer fire contract while planning phased staffing changes
Summary
City staff told council the current volunteer fire department contract expires in October and presented a one‑year extension plus a five‑year hybrid plan that would add a battalion chief and part‑time day crew in 2028, while keeping volunteers engaged; staff warned of rising operating and equipment costs and outlined grant options including SAFER.
City Manager (speaker 1) and emergency services staff presented council with options to bridge a contract that expires next October and to address slower volunteer response times, recommending a one‑year extension while developing a phased plan to improve first‑engine response.
The city's presentation noted the current contract dates to 2019 and that firefighters aim under NPA/NFPA standards for 10 responders on scene within 10 minutes (80% of the time) and urban criteria that call for larger crews in shorter windows. "We currently have a contract that expires this October," City Manager (speaker 1) said, adding that staff had been negotiating with the volunteer fire department and that a short extension would allow more work on a sustainable model.
Director of Emergency Services (speaker 6) told council that Friendswood logged roughly 822 calls in the fiscal year and that staff vetted a study of 31 structure‑fire responses to benchmark first‑engine arrival times. He said response performance is stronger during day‑crew hours and declines when relying solely on volunteers, and that factors such as station siting, traffic congestion and the time it takes volunteers to reach stations are driving the timing gap.
To address those gaps, staff proposed a five‑year hybrid model that would keep the volunteer department but add a battalion chief and a part‑time 24‑hour day crew in 2028, with potential phased increases thereafter; the first year would be a short extension to buy time for planning and negotiation. City Manager (speaker 1) said the first‑year cost is concentrated in operations (gear, NFPA compliance items and recruiting) and that full transition to a city‑staffed model would carry significantly higher recurring personnel costs.
Council members asked about alternatives such as stipend programs and a SAFER grant to offset early costs. Staff cautioned stipends face statutory caps and can undermine volunteer reliability if used without a clear staffing model. "The stipend is still innately flawed," speaker 1 said, noting stipend caps and the risk that paid volunteers stop showing up once cap limits are reached.
Staff also flagged long‑term budget implications: vehicle replacement, station maintenance and other capital needs will add to ongoing costs whether the service remains volunteer, hybrid or fully municipal. Staff asked for direction to pursue the one‑year extension and to continue work on the five‑year staffing and financing plan.
