PHOENIX — >> Editor's Note: The above video is from an earlier broadcast. <<
The Phoenix City Council voted Wednesday to spend millions on budgeting more than 50 positions in the city's fire department to address staffing challenges and a large 911 call volume.
Phoenix Fire officials have been warning the public in recent months about a lack of resources in their department, which was reportedly causing response times to become longer and potentially endanger local residents.
The amount of emergency calls made in Phoenix has grown by over 50% since 2010, according to the United Phoenix Firefighters Association.
The city took action to relieve the stress on its fire department by allocating $7.8 million in annual funding for the creation of 58 new sworn positions in the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
The council had previously approved adding 19 fire positions to the 2022-2023 budget and accepting grant funds to add another 32 positions.
Wednesday's actions now add a total of 109 new jobs in the city's fire department.
Some of the new positions will be dedicated to Phoenix's aviation and rescue unit and others will be assigned to Fire Station #62, city records show. The allocated funds will also pay for 27 existing positions that had previously been funded with grant money.
Councilwoman Ann O'Brien said Wednesday's actions were one step in extinguishing Phoenix's ongoing "fire crisis."
"As the city grows, we need to ensure our public safety services are adequately growing," O'Brien said.
Mayor Kate Gallego noted how "unusual" it was for the city to add so many positions at this point in the budget year but indicated Wednesday's action was an "important vote" the city needed to make.
The council will soon be voting on a proposed bond program that calls for spending $83 million on expanding the Fire Department's facilities.
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