Fire chief says call volume has doubled; council questions training and staffing costs

Fire Chief Ray Franco told the Sun Valley City Council the Fire Department’s call volume is ‘‘double that of a year ago,’’ framing requests for increased training and personnel-related line items in the proposed FY2017 budget. Franco thanked the council for approving living quarters and provided a breakdown of training costs tied to three additional full‑time staff members.

Council Member Michelle Griffith said the citywide training budget appeared large and urged reductions; Franco and City Administrator Susan Robertson explained that the department’s remote location requires travel and that some training is essential to maintain or improve the City’s ISO rating through the Target Solutions training system. Council President Keith Saks warned against sacrificing training if it would harm the city’s fire and insurance rating.

Franco and Assistant Fire Chief Charlie Butterfield noted the department already pursues joint training with neighboring departments and that sending personnel to national conferences helps support local training opportunities; Butterfield said the Volunteer Association covers travel for two attendees while the city covers two others. The council asked for a net estimate of the wildland fire income and a breakdown of training costs for the new hires before taking further action.