WACO, Texas (KXXV) — The Waco Fire Department is working to add more personnel to its staff, which could lead to quicker emergency response times at certain stations if it receives federal funding.
"On-scene time is absolutely critical, depending upon the jobs. Recently we've had the swift water calls," said Philip Burnett, a Waco firefighter captain who was one of the first responders on scene during a recent water rescue.
Burnett emphasized that faster response times are vital in any emergency situation.
"That's one technical skill that the faster we get there, the faster we can make an intervention and hopefully mitigate the problem," Burnett said.
The firefighter noted that timing is especially crucial in fire emergencies. "Fire can double in size every 30 seconds. So, any medical call, we want to make sure that we're getting to the scene to the patients as quickly as we can to have the best outcome we can possibly have," Burnett said.
To address this need, the Waco Fire Department is applying for a grant exceeding $3 million to hire additional personnel, which they believe will improve response times.
The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant would fund 15 additional firefighter positions if approved.
Fire officials say the grant would benefit residents by expanding services and making them better prepared for any emergency.
The funding would provide three more firefighters at the China Spring Fire Station 12. According to the fire department, these additional personnel will allow the station to operate with a daily minimum staffing level of four personnel.
National Fire Protection Association standards recommend four firefighters at the scene of a structure fire before entering. However, the department's current staffing policy uses three firefighters per engine.
In other areas of Waco, backup can arrive quickly, but Station 12 is located in an outlying area with no other nearby stations.
As part of the grant agreement, the City of Waco will cover the remaining salary and benefits, estimated to be more than $1.9 million over three years.
The fire department's deadline to apply for the grant is July 3. They expect to receive a decision in the next 2 to 3 months.
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