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Council weighs adding two full‑time firefighters to improve coverage
Summary
Staff proposed adding two full‑time firefighters to bring each shift to two full-timers (with an eventual goal of three per shift), aiming to improve turnout and response times amid staffing gaps and unfilled part‑time shifts.
City staff told the council they are proposing two additional full‑time firefighter positions to improve shift coverage and turnout performance.
"We're suggesting to add 2 more full time firefighters…give us 3 shifts of 2 people fully staffed," Ryan said, describing the plan that would allow the chief to use part‑time and pay‑per‑call personnel to fill remaining gaps. Fire leadership said the aim is to reach three on each shift when possible, improving turnout times for emergency calls.
The fire chief (speaker 9) told the council that part‑time availability remains the main constraint. "Just this last month we had 12 or 13, 12 hour shifts that went unfilled," he said, noting the city uses stipends and pay‑per‑call staff to backfill and that adding full‑time staff would reduce overreliance on those measures. Council members asked about turnout- and response-time expectations and NFPA gear replacement schedules; the chief said turnout goals are easier to meet with three personnel on duty and that structural gear is replaced after 10 years (about $5,000 per full set).
Council did not vote on staffing at the session; the topic remains under consideration as staff balances personnel requests against available funds and grant changes.
