Virginia Beach fire chief says department is ‘at a breaking point,’ asks council to fund more firefighters

Fire Chief (introduced to the meeting as Ken Privates) urged the City Council to address an acute staffing shortfall in the fire department, warning that long mandatory overtime and rising resignations have pushed the force "to a breaking point."

The chief described staffing dynamics that include high overtime, forced holdovers and increasing resignations and retirements that leave the department short across multiple shifts. "Getting to my full FTE staff was 140 people," the chief said, and noted that while the proposed budget includes funding for 17 new firefighter recruits, operational analyses show a larger shortfall — roughly 51 FTE equivalents when measured by hours not worked.

The ask and the numbers: The staff‑recommended addition is 17 firefighters (to be phased across shifts and training slots); the chief said the recurring cost for that increment is about $1.7 million. He and staff also explained that fully stabilizing operations — the chief called it a Tier‑1 staffing level — could require significantly more (the department’s internal tier‑one estimate reached tens of additional FTEs), with recurring costs estimated in the multi‑million‑dollar range depending on the final target.

Why the concern is urgent: The chief and several council members tied the staffing pinch to safety and retention problems — members reported working well beyond scheduled hours, and exit interviews cited mandatory overtime and schedule instability as a major reason recruits leave. The chief said extended and unpredictable shifts contribute to fatigue, health risks and poorer retention: "It's not safe," he said, describing sleep deprivation and exposure to toxins that increase risks for cancer and behavioral health problems.

Budget trade‑offs and next steps: Council and the manager discussed trade‑offs — adding firefighters is costly and could require redirecting recurring revenue or reprioritizing existing dedications. The city manager noted some choices (dedication redirections, cuts elsewhere) would be needed to maintain the current proposed tax rate while adding recurring public-safety positions. Council members pressed staff to bring back options for recurring funding and noted that adding firefighters can reduce overtime costs over time but will not eliminate overtime entirely in a 24/7 emergency service.

What to expect: Staff said they would return with refined estimates and possible funding mechanisms; the council will consider the request as part of the larger budget decisions.