From budget cuts to lack of volunteers, Kansas counties face increased fire response times
Lawrence Station 5 is among fire departments across the state facing budget cuts, leading to potentially longer response times. (Maya Smith for Kansas Reflector)
LAWRENCE — Lawrence firefighters union president Seamus Albritton says the community might have to wait longer for emergency responses as a result of budget cuts.
The Lawrence City Commission recently cut the Lawrence Fire-Medical Department budget by $1.5 million. The department’s response times already exceed six minutes for arrival to structured fires, above the National Fire Protection Association standard of four minutes or less for career departments.
“We have the data that support that we’re already understaffed at the number of fire trucks that we have now,” Albritton said. “They’re choosing to cut the core services of the city. Your core services keep the citizens safe, and they choose to fund things beyond public safety.”
This cut will eliminate one truck from Lawrence Station No. 5, right next to the University of Kansas.
Lawrence is not alone in cutting fire-medical budgets. Amid budget shortfalls across the state, public safety departments are facing cuts. And service providers are sounding alarms about the impact those cuts could have, especially in rural communities.
“When people dial 911, they expect a response,” state fire management officer Bill Waln said. “The mission of any emergency response organization is to make sure that their response is timely, safe, and effective. Significant cuts can make that more challenging, not because the commitment of the emergency responder changes, but because resources are what allow us to meet the public’s expectations.”
Kansas communities rely on federal grants that provide funding for small fire departments’ training, maintaining equipment and funding jobs. For rural communities, Waln said, federal grants can be a lifeline.
“When those grants are cut, departments don’t lose their dedication, but they may lose the tools or people they need to meet the public’s expectation when they dial 911,” Waln said. “For emergency responders, that translates into longer hours, more stress, and in some cases greater risk on the job. They carry a tremendous weight, knowing the community depends on them no matter what.”
Beyond the cost of equipment and facilities, some small communities struggle to have enough manpower to cover their county’s emergencies.
Rural counties are heavily reliant on volunteer firefighters, with 78.6% of departments across the state being volunteer, according to the National Fire Department Registry.
“We have 65- and 70-year-olds in the line of duty,” said Andover Fire Chief Chad Russell. “ This is an incredibly physically demanding job. The fire doesn’t care what your paycheck is. Old men and women still serving simply because they want to serve their community — and there’s no one coming in to take over for them is really a travesty in my opinion.”
With fewer volunteers, rural counties rely on neighboring counties to take on emergency response — putting rural communities at risk of first responders arriving too late.
“Instead of seven minutes, they get there in 27 minutes,” Russell said. “They’re there to help clean up — to put out the ashes.”
Response times highlight the broader issues within fire-medical departments, from staffing shortages to the politics involved with the budget making process, ultimately leading to first responders being stretched too thin, Waln said.
“When reductions affect emergency response organizations, I hope leaders fully recognize the potential impact,” Waln said. “Citizens expect that when they call for help, the response is quick, safe, and effective. Any decision that changes that expectation carries very real consequences for safety, trust, and the wellbeing of those on the front lines.”