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Fire chief urges adding battalion chiefs in 2027 to meet 2028 contract, says change will improve on-scene command
Summary
The fire/EMS presentation proposed hiring three battalion chiefs in 2027 to comply with a union contract by 2028, raising the combined fire/EMS budget roughly 8.2% and increasing line-item salary costs; the chief argued the change enhances incident command and firefighter safety.
The fire/EMS leader presented a budget that would reintroduce battalion chiefs as on-shift command officers and expand paramedic staffing.
"The battalion chief solves this problem, because they're on duty 24/7," the Fire/EMS Chief said, arguing the position provides immediate incident command and allows company officers to remain with their crews during major responses. He said the city previously had battalion chiefs and that a local contract requires reinstating them by 2028.
The presentation showed line-item 520 (salaries and wages) rising about 14% when split across EMS and fire to fund the proposed command positions; the chief said EMS-specific increases are about 6.9% year-over-year and the combined fire/EMS budget would increase approximately 8.2%. The chief also reported reductions in motor-fuel and telephone expenses due to operational changes and consolidation.
The chief described a three-year vehicle-rotation plan so the department would not need a new med unit in the coming year and would maintain two front-line med units, two backups and one reserve. Commissioners asked for a line-item printout with percentages and additional detail before final budget decisions.
No formal budget vote occurred; the presentation will inform later budget deliberations.
