BAFD Hires 20 New Firefighters To Fulfill Vision 2025 Renewal

The Broken Arrow Fire Department says it has fulfilled a Vision 2025 Renewal campaign promise to hire 20 new firefighters by 2020. 

Broken Arrow voters in November 2015 agreed to renew the Tulsa County Vision 2025 sales tax and repurpose it to pay for additional police officers, firefighters and local street improvements.

A federal grant allowed the department to hire nine firefighters in November 2015. 

FEMA awarded the department a second grant, which allowed BAFD to hire an additional 11 firefighters in February 2017. 

While the grant covers salaries for a two-year period, the voter-approved renewal of the Vision 2025 sales tax ensures BAFD will be able to retain the new firefighters after the grants expire. BAFD’s authorized strength is now at 173.