CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Fire Department continues to face staffing challenges, as the interim fire chief outlined in front of a City Council committee Monday.
During the pandemic, these challenges were exacerbated by firefighters getting sick and having to miss work in addition to the number of firefighters choosing to retire. Now, retirements continue to be a factor.
"We still have a long way to go," Interim Fire Chief Steve Breitfelder said.
With two recruit classes in the last year, the department is working towards solving these staffing challenges, but the work isn't over.
Breitfelder told the Budget and Finance Committee the department currently has 834 firefighters but is authorized to have 859. Cincinnati Firefighters Union Local 48 President Matt Alter said the shortage is already impacting firefighters.
"Our firefighters continually step up to the challenges ahead of them, the staffing challenges and they're working tremendous amounts of overtime," he said.
The department could also lose about 200 firefighters at any time to retirement. The reaction to these numbers from council members was one of concern.
"Disturbing at best and I know this something that was not created overnight," said council member Scotty Johnson. "We are in a predicament in this city and we inherited this — we inherited this and that's just what it is, but we cannot afford to keep playing catch-up."
Fire officials in the past have attributed staffing challenges in part to a lack of previous funding for recruit classes.
Both the interim chief and union president said continuing to have recruit classes and hiring more firefighters is the solution.
"The last couple of recruit classes we've had, we've increased the number of recruits we have in the classes. We're getting ready to hire one that's going to have 55 fire recruits in it, so that is definitely helping," Breitfelder said. "So, larger classes more often is definitely going to help us out."
Staffing isn't the only challenge the department is facing right now. Breitfelder also discussed aging firetrucks and the need for more firehouse locations because of a growing population in certain areas during his presentation.
READ MORE
'I do not tolerate discriminatory, hostile, or unfair working environments': City manager fires CFD chief
Cincinnati Fire Department receives $500K donation for pilot program addressing overdose calls
Officials: Miami Township fire chief put on paid administrative leave pending unknown investigation
