Regional Fire Service Consolidation
On June 11th, 2024, disaster struck right here in Ward 2. I had just walked out of Boulevard Pizza on Rock Boulevard when I was met by the terrifying sight of the Sullivan Fire. The black of the night was pierced by an eerie orange glow - flames licking the sky. That image is burned into my memory. Our home was less than a mile from the evacuation zone.
I have to commend the incredible firefighters who brought that blaze under control - it took a coordinated, regional response to do it.
In June of this year, a woodpile fire on Prater Way in Sparks grew out of control. It took ten engines, two aerials, and left two civilians injured before it was finally contained. Again, it required a regional response.
More and more emergencies are being handled regionally, and for good reason - it works. If there's a fire and Sparks Fire is the closest resource, of course they should respond. But too often, that’s not how the system works.
As Reno and Sparks continue to grow into each other, city boundaries and siloed systems are getting in the way of common-sense emergency response. While we have a unified ambulance service through REMSA - with a single dispatch center - our fire response is still fragmented across multiple departments and dispatch systems: Truckee Meadows, Reno, and Sparks Fire. Each has its own headquarters, its own vehicle maintenance shops, its own administrative staff.
That’s duplication we can no longer afford. It’s expensive. It’s slowing down responses.
Consolidating fire services won’t be easy. It’s a complicated issue with more questions than clear answers - but that’s exactly why we need to explore it. Maybe it’s the right move. Maybe it isn’t. But doing nothing is not an option. Looking ahead to the next 100 years of Sparks, something has to change.
In 2008, Sparks had 87 firefighters. Today, even with a larger population and more land to cover, we’re down to just 64 - following a round of budget-related layoffs - even as we open a much-needed new fire station.
Sparks Fire has always been there for Ward 2, for my neighbors - and for me. In July of 2024, when I was dragged by a car, it was Sparks Firefighters who splinted my leg and got me safely into the ambulance. They answered the call, just as they always do.
The question now is: Are we answering the call for them?
We can’t let response times increase or staffing shortages grow worse. We can’t leave our firefighters stretched too thin. We need to protect and support the men and women who protect us - by investing in one of the best professional fire departments in Nevada, and by making our emergency response system as efficient and effective as it can be.
It’s time to ask the tough questions - and be bold enough to seek better answers, together.