The presence of firearms and the possibility of a vehicle breaking through barricades and entering crowds are the two greatest threats to Austin’s popular Sixth Street nightlife district, according to police and emergency leaders. The Downtown Commission received updates last week about work being done to improve safety on East Sixth Street, which has seen […]
Austin Fire Department
firefighters who serve residents inside Austin city limits.
Posted inFire
Audit shows growth of firefighters’ overtime spending
Firefighters continue to rack up overtime while the Austin Fire Department continues to recruit and train more firefighters as others retire. According to a report presented to the city’s Audit and Finance Committee on Wednesday, the department was on track to spend more than $20 million on overtime for the fiscal year that ended Sept. […]
Posted inEnvironment
Study eyes fire response steps to protect local waterways
Austin Fire Department’s efforts to control and extinguish structure fires have negligible negative impacts on local waterways, according to a recent study of firefighting incidents over an eight-month period. The assessment conducted by the Watershed Protection Department looked at the actions and impacts involved in 84 fires AFD responded to from Feb. 23 to Oct. […]
Posted inFire
Firefighters say city lawyers unreasonably stopped arbitration
The city of Austin’s Law Department has stopped participating in an arbitration hearing with the Austin Firefighters Association, and City Council will have the chance on Thursday to approve that decision or direct its lawyers to continue the process. Council has an executive session scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Thursday. Bob Nicks, president of the Austin […]
Posted inFire
Austin continues to address wildfire risk through training, community outreach
The Austin Fire Department delivered an update on the city’s wildfire prevention efforts to the Public Safety Commission on Monday. The updates are mandated in the 2019 overhaul, which occurred after Austin was ranked among the top five most at-risk cities in the nation when it comes to wildfire damage. The city and Travis County […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Fire, EMS stations lost power during ice storm
The leaders of the unions representing Austin firefighters and EMS employees both said Wednesday that many of their members had worked through the recent ice storm in stations that had lost power, depriving them of basics like warmth and light. Bob Nicks, president of the Austin Firefighters Association, reported that he had surveyed firefighters about […]
Posted inEMS
City still faces gap in first responder pay, benefits
After a presentation comparing first responder salaries and benefits, and a direct plea from an Austin-Travis County EMS medic, the city’s Public Safety Commission is recommending the city take another look at closing the compensation gap between paramedics and the city’s other first responders. At its regular meeting on Nov. 7, the commission passed a […]
Posted inFire
City departments continue refining wildfire evacuation plan
Last week, City Council’s Mobility Committee learned about the regional response and evacuation plan that would go into effect in the event of a wildfire. “Wildfires know no boundaries and looking at what we’re doing in terms of coordination, we’re working across those jurisdictional boundaries,” said Jim Dale, assistant director of the Transportation Department. “The […]
Posted inBudget
Public safety departments present budget proposals to Public Safety Commission
Austin’s public safety departments – police, fire and EMS – are preparing for the annual budget process in July and August by forecasting budgets and drafting wish lists, all of which include additional funding to fill vacant positions. Meanwhile, a group of more than 30 community organizations has drafted a Community Investment Budget for Fiscal […]
Posted inPublic Safety
No clear path forward for medical marijuana use by public safety employees
Now that medical marijuana is legal in Texas, will Austin allow its first responders to use it? A Monday afternoon briefing at City Council’s Public Safety Committee meeting showed that the hurdle, for once, does not come from the state government, but from federal regulations. Thanks to House Bill 1535, Texas now allows registered physicians […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Council adopts public safety initiative to address vacancy concerns
With staffing challenges at a critical juncture in each of Austin’s three public safety departments, City Council has directed the city manager to build a comprehensive plan to address the shortages. The ATX Public Safety Vacancy Staffing Plan lays out direction for staffers to identify vacancy challenges and historical trends in each department, outline what […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Loop 360/Davenport fire station lease raises questions
After serious questions about whether staff members had provided City Council with sufficient information before moving forward on construction of a new Loop 360/Davenport fire/EMS station, Council on Thursday approved a 40-year lease for the property at 4601 Westlake Drive. The $9 million lease agreement with the Episcopal Diocese of Texas includes an option for […]