(The Center Square) – Spokane Fire Chief Julie O’Berg told the city council on Monday that 2024 was her department’s “busiest year ever” as call volumes, structure fires and overdose deaths all increased.
The Spokane Fire Department has 18 vacancies, which it hopes to fill with the 2025 Fire Academy. O’Berg said despite logging 19% fewer overtime hours than in 2023, a savings of about 6% compared to 2023, SFD surpassed its annual OT budget by over 22%.
She attributed this to a 14.3% pay increase that the budget didn’t reflect, citing drops in hours and savings when looking ahead to 2025. The city canceled the 2024 academy due to a larger budget hole, and some have cautioned that $3.2 million isn’t enough for overtime through 2026.
“This was our busiest year ever; so exactly what that percentage looks like, I don’t have, but December was also a pretty busy month,” O’Berg said, “with not only an overall increased call volume but increased call volume just for working structure fires as well.”