New Study Raises Questions About Needs At Tulsa Fire Department

A new study of the Tulsa Fire Department recommends changes in staffing and equipment to be more efficient.

After the Vision vote pushed more money into public safety, and after the city budget for next year is practically done, the study says the fire department, in some cases, has too many people on a truck and, in some cases, the wrong truck for the job.

The study of the fire department examined staffing and equipment for the department, though it comes too late for the city to work recommendations into the upcoming budget.

The Vision money is mainly for staffing in east Tulsa, where it's unquestionably needed; but the report is raising eyebrows with city administrators and in the department because it contradicts some long-held beliefs - in particular whether four firefighters are needed on every truck.

“I do have some concerns about some of the stuff in the study. Reducing firefighters on a truck, doing away with four and going to three, that's very concerning because that's what we advocated for in the whole Vision process, getting four on a truck, back to that,” Tulsa City Councilor Karen Gilbert said.

The city council is set to approve the city budget for next year at Thursday night’s meeting.

Our partner, The Frontier, has more on this story on their website.

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