Fire officials in a southwestern Idaho city are growing concerned with staffing levels at the fire department, calling the agency "severely undermanned."
The Idaho Press reports that the head of the local firefighters union, Will Gigray, is worried about the lack of new hires at the Caldwell Fire Department, which has brought on only three new firefighters over the last five years.
"How far behind do you get in public service before ... it’s going to be a catastrophe?" Gigray said. “Either a citizen dies because lack of service or a firefighter dies because lack of manpower there — it’s a scary thought."
Caldwell Mayor Garret Nancolas says he understands the need for more firefighters and police, but that the city is doing the best it can with limited resources. The financing to bring on new personnel largely comes from property tax revenue, and that money must be spread out to meet the city's pressing needs.
“We’re giving them every dollar we can scrounge," Nancolas said. "It is a priority."
From 2013-2017, the city didn't add to its staff of 36 firefighters while the population grew by almost 6,000 people to 54,660. This year, the city hired three firefighters and is outlining plans for a third fire station while also working to bring back a volunteer firefighter program.
The fire department is expecting over 6,000 calls this year, according to Fire Chief Mark Wendelsdorf. That's 1,400 more calls than the department got in 2013, with only three more firefighters to handle them.
"You’ve got these taxpayers that pay their taxes every year thinking they’re going to get a service," Gigray said, "and right now there’s a really good chance that one of these days they’re going to call 911, and we’re not going to be available to help them.”
