Sparks, NV, Fire Department's Staffing Shortages Persists
Sparks Fire Station 6 remains unstaffed weeks after 2 News Nevada first reported the issue, and now Station 4 is also facing temporary staffing shortages.
When 2 News Nevada visited Stations 4, no one answered the door at Station 4 despite multiple attempts. The City of Sparks declined an interview but said in a statement that Engine 41 at Station 4 was unstaffed due to firefighters being on annual and sick leave.
City officials said contingency plans with neighboring agencies are in place and emergency service will not be impacted.
The city also reiterated that resources were shifted from Station 6 to Station 5 based on response and deployment data, maintaining that firefighter staffing and available resources have not been reduced. Station 6 still displays an unstaffed sign.
The Sparks Firefighters Union declined to comment, saying it is working with the city on solutions.
About the Author
Ryan Baker
Associate Editor
Ryan Baker is a writer and associate editor with prior experiences in online and print production. Ryan is an associate editor for Firehouse with a master's degree in sciences of communication from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He recently completed a year of teaching Intro to Public Speaking at UW-Whitewater, as part of his graduate program. Ryan acquired his bachelor's degree in journalism in 2023 from UW-Whitewater, and operates currently out of Minneapolis, MN. Baker, also writes freelances for the Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA) in his free time, while also umpiring baseball for various ages across the Twin Cities Metro Area.