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Fire Chief: Eliminated Engine Company Won't Be Easy to Restore
Summary
Fort Smith's fire chief told the board that cuts removed an engine company and that restoring it would require rehiring multiple personnel and purchasing a replacement truck costing more than $1 million, a process he said could take several years.
The fire chief told the board that one engine company was eliminated as part of cuts and that reinstating that capability is not a simple quarterly decision. "We can't just bring back an engine company, because we deleted an entire engine company," he said, adding that replacing the apparatus alone would likely cost more than $1,000,000 and that rehiring necessary personnel could take years.
He said the department also eliminated a battalion chief position, increasing administrative workload, and that the effects of housing growth near Chaffee Crossing and increased traffic could intensify demand on coverage in coming years. The chief urged the board to consider the long lead times and capital costs associated with restoring suppressed capacity.
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