Bethlehem Public Safety Committee Meeting on Fire Staffing Study - October 29, 2025
Bethlehem Public Safety Committee Meeting on Fire Staffing Study - October 29, 2025
The Public Safety Committee, chaired by Councilwoman Rachel Leon and including members Brian Callahan and Grace Crampsy Smith, held an informational meeting on October 29, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. to discuss a staffing and response study of the Bethlehem Fire Department presented by IAFF Local 735. The meeting focused on current staffing shortfalls, increasing call volumes, and the need to meet National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1710 standards. No votes were taken; the session was solely for information ahead of the 2026 budget season.
Public Comments & Testimony
- David Roof (retired firefighter, 1625 Maple Street): Provided a historical perspective, noting that in 1976 the department had 116 firefighters (26 per shift) compared to fewer than 116 today despite significant city growth, including redevelopment of the former Bethlehem Steel site, expanded hospitals, and new apartment complexes. He stated that the department has not met NFPA standards for decades and called for increased manpower.
- Kyle Dalton (Allentown resident, Bethlehem firefighter, treasurer of Bethlehem Firefighters Association): Emphasized that seconds—specifically six seconds per breath—can determine life or death in emergencies. He urged committee members to consider how their decisions affect response times and community safety.
Discussion Items
- Fire Department Staffing Study Presentation (Lou Jimenez, IAFF Local 735 President): Jimenez presented a study conducted with the IAFF GIS department using city-provided data. Key findings included:
- Current staffing: 18 firefighters per shift, operating with 2 firefighters per engine (below NFPA 1710 minimum of 4). Two engines run with only 2 firefighters.
- Call volume increased 29% between 2021 and 2024, with over 4,700 calls for service and 9,000 unit responses in 2024.
- NFPA 1710 benchmarks: First-arriving engine within 4 minutes at 90% reliability is not met; current safe entry coverage (two-in/two-out) is only 26% of the city within 4 minutes. With NFPA staffing, that would rise to 54%; with a new station, 63%.
- Low-hazard assignments (single-family homes) have only 6% compliance; medium-hazard (garden apartments, strip malls) has 0%; high-hazard (buildings over 75 feet, large warehouses) has 0%. Compliance with NFPA staffing would improve low hazard to 39% and medium hazard to 29%.
- Recommended actions: Staff all suppression apparatus with 4 personnel (3 firefighters + 1 officer), add a new fire station near Linden and East Goepp Street (proposed Company 7) to improve 4-minute coverage, and allocate resources to highest-risk/highest-demand areas.
- The study suggests a total of 31 firefighters per shift (currently 18). The department has 101 funded positions (including 8 of 12 cadets from 2025, with 4 in academy); 15 cadets proposed for 2026. However, 30-35 current firefighters are eligible to retire, and overtime is excessive, leading to mandatory overtime and burnout.
- Committee Questions and Clarifications:
- Councilwoman Leon asked about the overlap issue (multiple calls leaving districts uncovered). Jimenez explained that when a northwest engine responds, an officer from another district must cover, leaving that area unprotected.
- Leon inquired about call volume drivers: EMS calls and overlapping incidents increase workload, and the northwest area has many elderly/disabled residents.
- Councilwoman Crampsy Smith asked about the difference between capital (apparatus) and operational (personnel) budgets, noting that new apparatus purchases do not solve staffing shortages. The administration’s 2026 budget proposes $3.8 million for two new apparatus, but staffing remains the core issue.
- Councilman Callahan questioned the city’s forthcoming comprehensive study (RFP issued September 9, 2025, responses due October 31). Jimenez expressed concern that the study may focus on apparatus efficiency rather than staffing, and noted that the IAFF study took 18 months while the city’s aims for 6 months.
- Discussion also covered the loss of minimum manning in 2011 arbitration, the closure of Dewey Fire Station, and the need for collaboration among all stakeholders.
- Administration Memo (read into record): Eric Evans, Business Administrator, stated that Chief Griffin and Deputy Bear could not attend due to budget preparation and fire academy interviews. The memo highlighted that 15 additional cadets are proposed for 2026 at a cost of $300,000, and that two new apparatus are in the capital budget. The administration expressed irritation at the short notice of the meeting.
Key Outcomes
- Informational Only: No decisions or votes were taken. The meeting was intended to provide council with data for consideration during upcoming budget deliberations.
- Next Steps: Council members will review the interactive GIS study provided by the union. The administration’s proposed 2026 budget is expected to be released on October 30, 2025. Council will consider the staffing study alongside the city’s comprehensive fire/EMS study, which is expected to begin in early 2026. The committee acknowledged the need for continued dialogue and collaboration among the union, administration, and council to address staffing deficits.
Meeting Transcript
I will call to order the public safety committee meeting. I'm Rachel Leon, chairwoman of the public safety committee. The committee members are Brian Callahan and Grace Crampsy Smith. The clerk will call the roll. Ms. Leon present. Mr. Callahan and Ms. Brampsy Smith. Present. We have no other council members present tonight this afternoon. YouTube stream reminder if you start the stream after 2 p.m., please make sure to scroll ahead. All the way ahead. So the YouTube stream is current rather than a recording of an earlier portion of the meeting. There is one agenda item tonight involving the fire department. Fire department staffing study. David. That's you, sir. Yep, you're first. Hello, my name's Dave Roof, uh, 1625 Maple Street. I'm a retired firefighter. Uh I retired in 2011. Yeah. I was hired in 1976. So I'm I would like to give you a historical overlay of the Bethle Fire Department within the city of Bethlehem, if that's all right. Uh when I got on the job, we had 116 firefighters, 26 per shift. I believe the police department was at 127, and there was no paramedic service. Uh Bob Tinsman and uh was very instrumental on getting an EMS service, uh, put in the city of Bethlehem, and uh later was supported by uh then councilman Paul Caleb, Otto Ursham, and I believe uh Donald Chase. As now you know, you probably wouldn't even consider not having a paramedic service in the city of Bethlehem. When I got on, there was none. Uh so shortly thereafter, I would say not quite eight years after police department went up to I think it was 132 patrolmen, and then down the road they went up to 154. Uh again, the EMS service went from what we used to call snatch and grab to EMT service to paramedic service, all within I would say 15 years. Uh that's 1976. 50 years. 50 years down the road, you know. Uh EMS service and police department have gained personnel. The fire department is still actually they're below what they were in 1976. The city of Bethlehem has grown in leaps and bounds. Uh we didn't have to respond less than extreme emergency to what was then the Bethlehem Steel Complex, which was I don't know how many acres that is, but it's a bunch. Uh now it's you have all kinds of entities operating out of what was the Bethlehem Steel property. You have hotels, you have businesses. Uh we never had any of that back in 1976. Um, expanded, the hospitals have expanded. We've had uh countless number of uh apartment complexes, all adding to uh the population of the city of Bethlehem. I believe when I got win in 1976, I think there was 72,000. They counted in in the city. Uh that did not count all the Lehigh or Moravian students or occupants that were in the hospitals at that time. So to give you just a little perspective on it. Uh uh 1977, we had the West Cape Mall fire. Uh, I could still remember the headlines in one of the uh major fire journals.
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