At a Glance
Pensacola used to have more firefighters and more fire apparatus before the long-term effects of the 2008 housing crisis reached the city budget. Rescue trucks were removed from the fire department’s front line, and nearly 15 years later, that capacity has still not been fully restored.
At the same time, our police department is dealing with aging equipment nearing the edge of usability — including tasers so old that replacement cartridges can no longer be sourced.
My plan is straightforward: return rescue trucks to the fire department’s front line, address the staffing needed to operate them, replace outdated police tasers, fix aging communications equipment, and make public safety readiness a top priority in the city budget.
Why Readiness Matters
When a family calls 911, they should not have to wonder whether the city has the right vehicle available, whether reserve equipment is functioning, or whether first responders are being forced to make do with outdated tools.
Readiness means planning before the emergency. It means replacing equipment before it reaches failure. It means using the right vehicle for the right call. It means protecting the people who protect us.
A city that waits until an engine breaks down, a reserve truck fails, or police equipment becomes impossible to maintain is not planning ahead — it is reacting after the problem has already reached a breaking point.
Pensacola can do better than that.
Important Details
- During the 2010s, while the city was still dealing with the extended financial effects of the 2008 housing crisis, Pensacola removed rescue trucks from the fire department’s front line.
- The city did not fully restore that lost fire department capacity after the budget recovered.
- Nearly 15 years later, the department is still operating without the same level of apparatus and staffing it once had.
- Without rescue trucks on the front line, fire engines have been used for many calls that could often be handled more efficiently by smaller, less expensive rescue vehicles — adding unnecessary wear and tear to expensive apparatus.
- Reserve apparatus capacity has become too thin.
- Fire Engines have exponentially increased in price.
- The police department is facing its own readiness challenge with aging equipment, including tasers and radios.
- Police radios, tasers, and other equipment are not currently on a planned replacement cycle.
- There is not a police grant writer on staff trying to supplement those large expenses.
- Our tasers are so old that cartridges can no longer be sourced. That is not a minor inconvenience — that is a warning sign.
My Proposal
The city should not wait for equipment failures to prove what our departments already know they need. We should listen early, plan responsibly, and invest in the tools and staffing that keep residents safe.
Rescue trucks are substantially less expensive than fully equipped fire engines or ladder trucks, and they are well-suited for many calls firefighters respond to every day — including medical calls and motor vehicle accidents.
Apparatus without staffing does not solve the problem. If we want readiness, we need both the equipment and the personnel to use it.
Adding a police grant writer to staff was already approved previously, but the position was replaced before the grant writer was ever hired.
- Return rescue trucks to the fire department’s front line as soon as possible.
- Address the staffing needed to operate those rescue trucks.
- Reduce unnecessary wear on fire engines by using the right vehicle for the right call.
- Replace outdated police tasers.
- Add a police grant writer to staff.
- Address aging police radio and communications equipment.
- Create a long-term equipment replacement plan for major public safety needs.
- Make public safety readiness a top priority in the city budget.
What Success Looks Like
Success means Pensacola’s first responders have the right tools available when residents need help.
For the fire department, success means rescue trucks are restored to the front line, fire engines are not being overused for calls better suited to smaller apparatus, reserve capacity is more reliable, and expensive equipment lasts longer.
For the police department, success means officers are not relying on outdated or unsupported equipment — they have dependable tasers, radios, and communications tools that allow them to do their jobs safely and effectively.
For residents, success means confidence: confidence that when they call 911, the city is ready; that firefighters and police officers are supported; and that City Hall is planning ahead instead of waiting for a crisis.