FY27 Proposed Budget

Emergency Operations

The Emergency Operations Division is under the direction of the Deputy Fire Chief and operates on a three-shift system. Each shift consists of 24 hours and is staffed by one Battalion Chief, one Captain, four Lieutenants, and 14 Firefighters. The department maintains a minimum daily staffing level of 16 emergency response personnel.

This division is directly responsible for managing all emergency incident responses. Calls for service are classified into four primary categories: fire suppression, emergency medical services, technical rescue, and hazardous materials response.

Activities:

• Emergency Operations services include fire suppression, emergency medical services, technical rescue, and hazardous materials response. The Fire Department responds to nearly 10,000 emergency incidents each year, underscoring the scale and complexity of community service demands. Call volume continues to trend upward, placing increased pressure on staffing, apparatus, and equipment.

Recent Accomplishments:

• Placement of Johnson County Ambulance at Fire Station 2 to improve advanced life support response to residents of west Iowa City. • Design, purchase, and place in service a fire ladder truck at Fire Station 4. • Will accept delivery of three new fire engines in FY26. • Placed a second set of “Jaws of Life” tool on the east side of Iowa City. • Produced action item to reduce unneeded fire unit response. • Conducted a successful proof of concept in implementing an electric vehicle in operations. • Successful promotion of new Deputy Fire Chief from within the organization. • Collaboration with the University of Iowa in special operations training sites. • Strategic direction set to right size emergency medical response with alternative unit pending funding.

Upcoming Challenges:

• Organizational leadership changes placing less experienced members in areas of higher responsibility. • Lack of administrative support requiring atypical work assignments for operations members. • Operational battalions remain unbalanced in employees assigned. • Establishing funding for alternative response unit.

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