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Fire chief warns staff cuts could cost Henderson its ISO rating
Summary
Fire Chief Tim Twisdale told the council that removing positions approved in 2019 would jeopardize the city’s ISO rating and could increase insurance costs, while the department says growth projections show the city needs an additional station.
The Henderson Fire Department told council that reduced staffing could imperil the city’s insurance classification and growth prospects. Fire Chief Tim Twisdale said the six firefighter positions approved in 2019 remain in the recommended budget to permit operation of a third engine company across existing stations.
"Reducing staff now would likely cause the City to lose its current ISO rating, which could increase insurance costs for businesses and hinder growth," Twisdale said, warning that cutting personnel without addressing station capacity could have cascading financial effects for property owners and economic development. He also said recent assessments show the city is short at least one fire station on the east side and, with projected growth, on the west side as well.
Council members pressed for clarity on why the positions remained despite the station not being built, and the chief framed the staffing as a response to a larger shortage rather than a simple headcount increase. No formal action on fire staffing was taken; council left the matter for further budget deliberation ahead of June adoption.
