The Reading Fire Department proposed $23.3 million budget for 2026 includes plans to strengthen staffing while keeping overall spending growth moderate, Chief James Stoudt said.
Stoudt recently presented the proposal to City Council at a committee of the whole meeting.
The department’s five budget categories total $28,388,091, up $1.9 million, or 7.2% from 2025.
The proposal includes $1,739,050 for fire administration, an increase of 9.8%; $926,483 for fire prevention, up 9.1%; $17,300,395 for fire suppression, up 5.2%; $7,916,848 for Emergency Medical Services, up 11%; and $505,315 for fire training, up 7.2%.
Stoudt said the largest factor driving the budget increase is a plan to promote a dozen firefighters to lieutenant positions, expanding leadership capacity in the suppression division.
“The biggest dramatic change is budgeting to take 12 positions of firefighter and move them up to the position of lieutenant,” he said. “The hopes are that we can have more manpower in the street.”
The department also plans to hire replacements for seven expected retirements next year, he said.
The chief noted that most budget lines remain largely unchanged, with salaries and benefits making up the majority of expenditures.
Another change would add one new position to the training division, converting a soon-to-be-vacated deputy chief role into a training lieutenant slot, Stoudt said. The move, he explained, would not raise costs but would reallocate funds from an existing administrative position.
“It would actually be reduced as a trade-off,” he said.
Councilwoman Melissa Ventura asked about the increase in overtime for the fire prevention division, which rose from $50,000 to $80,000.
Stoudt said the figure reflects time spent on fire investigations, court appearances, and pyrotechnic supervision at events such as Reading Fightin Phils games and concerts.
The city, he noted, is reimbursed for much of that work.
Reading Fire Chief James Stoudt Jr. speaks during a ceremony on Thursday in City Park, honoring on the 24th anniversary the first responders and all of those who died during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
Council members also sought clarification on the cuts and savings that helped limit the overall budget growth.
Stoudt said the department trimmed several small items, such as unused gym memberships and certain equipment and supply lines.
“We subtracted some things, as far as we can,” he said. “We had money budgeted for our Albright College gym (memberships), which hasn’t been used and little things as far as some equipment.”
The department has benefited from grant funding for new gear and maintains agreements with the county to share resources such as firefighting foam, he noted.
City Managing Director Jack Gombach praised the department for its diligence in managing costs despite the challenges of contractual obligations.
“Fire is historically one of our larger budgets, and also deeply tied to contracts,” he said. “We asked them to find cuts. It wasn’t easy, but like all the other departments, they sharpened their pencils. They did their due diligence. They were able to keep the increase very minimal.”
He added that the department’s spending growth, at roughly 7%, was “surprisingly” low given the city’s transition to zero-based budgeting, which funds only prioritized needs.
Council and administration members for the department’s efforts.
“You guys keep us safe,” Council President Donna Reed said, “so we need to have your back.”
The fire department’s proposed budget will be reviewed along with other departmental budgets before final adoption later this year.