Brainerd City Council Considers 'On-Call' Fire Department
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A debate is heading up in Minnesota's cabin country over the future of the Brainerd Fire Department.
Some leaders in Brainerd want to eliminate its full-time fire department to make way for a paid on-call staff, but some don't believe the potential cost savings are worth the price.
For months, the city has been exploring the possibility of moving to a paid on-call fire department, eliminating its five full-time firefighter positions.
Ninety percent of Minnesota's fire departments operate under the volunteer or paid on-call model.
"This is probably the hardest decision we have ever made and nobody wants to go through this," Brainerd City Council president Gary Scheeler said.
Scheeler said the change would save the city close to $300,000 per year. The union representing Minnesota's firefighters puts that number at $80,000 when unemployment and new hiring costs are factored in.
The department can't say for sure what the plan would mean for fire response times.
Usually, just one firefighter mans the fire house. They have to wait for a second before taking a truck to the scene. If the change is made, no one would be on hand.
The Brainerd Fire Department serves a large area, more than 300 square miles that include several townships and two cities.
The Brainerd City Council is expected to vote on the plan at its meeting on Monday.