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Fire chief warns of staffing strain, outlines training‑center plan
Summary
Great Falls Fire Chief Jeremy Virts told Neighborhood Council No. 5 the department has 61 firefighters, handled about 7,000 calls last year (60% EMS), and that a budget request for two additional firefighters was denied; he described plans for a new training center and ongoing discussions about bond and levy ballot measures.
Great Falls Fire Chief Jeremy Virts told Neighborhood Council No. 5 on July 20 that the department faces staffing pressures as the city grows and that most calls this year have been for medical emergencies.
"The department has 61 firefighters, and took 7,000 calls in the past year, with 60 percent of those being emergency medical services," Virts reported, and he said a budget request for two additional firefighters was denied. He said the department is considering a new training center that would be built in part by accessing a portion of the city library's voted levy, and that he is involved in discussions about potential bond and levy ballot issues to address building and staffing needs.
Virts framed the staffing concern as an operational priority: timely response to fires and other emergencies depends on adequate personnel. The facts he gave — headcount, call volume and the denied staffing request — were presented to the council as justification for pursuing facility investments and potential ballot measures.
Council members did not vote on any bond or levy language at the meeting; Virts described the measures as subjects of ongoing discussion. The chief's comments give neighborhood residents a snapshot of departmental workload and the tradeoffs city leaders will consider in budgeting and capital‑planning discussions.
