Fire Department Management
The fire department management topic focuses on fire service leadership, from the high-level management issues facing fire chiefs to the administrative functions and budget issues that impact day-to-day operations.
Local 860 says Dunmore Chief Christopher DeNaples has been pulled from administrative duty to work firefighting shifts amid a shortage that costs the borough about $260,000 annually in overtime
Tacoma City Manager Hyun Kim’s 2027-2028 budget proposal would eliminate both alternative response programs to help close a $40 million shortfall
Two Lowell fire stations closed after firefighters took 527 sick days in the first 77 days of fiscal 2027, pushing overtime toward nearly $5 million
The new Jupiter Fire Rescue Department responded to 30 calls in its first 24 hours, including administering whole blood during a medical call
Local 3128 says it voted overwhelmingly in February to oppose Chief Dante Suarez over alleged hostile behavior and retaliation, as Suarez sues the city and mayor claiming discrimination and wrongful suspension
San Jose Fire Department’s six-month pilot sends a two-person mobile unit to connect residents with complex medical and behavioral health needs to long-term care, aiming to reduce repeat cycling through 911
The Police Protective League plans to spend millions opposing the firefighters union’s permanent sales tax hike, which would generate an estimated $345 million annually to hire firefighters and build new stations across Los Angeles
The union accuses Charlton Chief Rob Barton of creating a hostile work environment after 20 of the department’s 26 firefighters left since he took charge 21 months ago, and is calling for a selectboard review of the allegations
Life-threatening emergency response times have climbed from 9:34 in 2021 to 13:09 this fiscal year as FDNY loses about 10 ambulance units daily to staffing shortages, with officials pointing to the pay gap between EMTs and firefighters
A Hustle Worth Having connects service, purpose and belonging with a generation looking for all three
An investigation found the department ignored warnings that the smoldering Lachman fire could reignite and struggled to track personnel once the Palisades fire erupted, killing 12 people and destroying 6,800 structures
The Evansville Fire Merit Commission voted unanimously to terminate Douglas Randell after hearing testimony from multiple women alleging inappropriate text messages and comments
Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund says a potential February ballot measure to spin Bellingham Fire into a regional authority could cost homeowners about $600 a year but help close an $8 million budget deficit
Gov. Mark Gordon cut the ribbon on the state forestry division’s new aviation hub, which adds a hangar, hard-wired internet and closer fuel access
The proposed $1 million tax would fund round-the-clock EMS staffing in the rural town, adding $332 a year for a $200,000 property, as New York towns statewide struggle with shrinking volunteer EMS
As a state-backed study pushes North Wales, Upper and Lower Gwynedd and Ambler toward shared fire services, Mayor Neil McDevitt says the borough favors operational cooperation over a costly merger
SCCAD will add coverage for the City of Saint Charles, letting the fire department reassign personnel to an additional fire apparatus as both agencies plan for rising EMS call volume
Upper Gwynedd and three neighboring communities are considering regionalizing fire services as departments struggle with daytime staffing, recruitment, rising call volumes and costs
Sterling Fire Department’s new cadet program gives high school students hands-on training alongside firefighters while preparing them for paid, on-call positions
Sheriff Gregory Tony criticized Broward County’s decision to remove Fire Rescue from his agency after 2028, as years of disputes over funding and oversight come to a head
Danielson residents approved $64,000 for new firefighter gear after the department halted operations for nine days and later resumed with limited staffing over PPE safety concerns
Sacramento Fire says 79 frequent 911 users generated more than 5,100 EMS responses, consuming emergency resources and contributing to response delays
Loveland Fire Rescue Authority selected Paul Claflin, an ATF leader and former firefighter with extensive arson and explosives investigation experience, as its next fire chief
Broward County commissioners voted unanimously not to renew the sheriff’s office fire-rescue agreement after 2028, returning roughly 900 employees and oversight of the department to the county
Download this field checklist for establishing and adjusting hazmat control zones
Grapevine’s decision to replace an engine with a two-firefighter squad raises difficult questions about how departments define their mission
Turn operational experience into shared lessons, stronger accountability and continued improvement across the department
Purpose, planning, communication and reassessment can help leaders implement change without losing sight of department traditions
Brockport grew from 17 to 44 interior firefighters using a live-in program, social media recruiting and opportunities for teenagers to enter the fire service
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