Here are highlights from the union-paid staffing and response study, which was completed in coordination with the IAFF Local 735 Geographic Information Systems Department and using data provided by the city and fire administration:<\/p>\n
More than 4,700 calls for service in 2024 \u2014 an increase of almost 29% in a three-year span from 2021 to 2024. \u201cEMS calls and overlapping incidents drive our workload and a sustained upward trend widens the demand-capacity gap \u2014 which basically means, we need more people,\u201d Jimenez said.Minimum crew size is four for engine and ladder companies, according to NFPA 1017 standards. BFD typically runs two firefighters and one officer on each fire engine, but two of the fleet\u2019s engines operate with only two firefighters. The union proposes staffing all apparatuses with four personnel, including three firefighters and an officer.After a 911 call is made, NFPA standards call for the first arriving unit to be on scene in four minutes or less, 90% of the time. Around 80% of city incidents meet the four-minute travel time.An interior fire attack requires four or more personnel on scene before entering a burning structure. Current safe-entry coverage is 26% of the city in four minutes or less, but with NFPA minimum staffing, that goes up to 54%; it goes up to 63% with a new fire station.There are four stations across the city, though there used to be five \u2014 even as residential, commercial and industrial areas continue to expand.Facing overlap in some districts during peak demand. \u201cThe engine company in their particular district is responding to a call, they\u2019ll get another call in the district that will bring another engine from across the city into that district, leaving the other five districts uncovered,\u201d Jimenez said.High-rise apartment buildings, industrial corridors and warehouses, as seen on Hellertown Road, elevate hazards. \u201cYet we do not have an engine that can get there in four minutes,\u201d Jimenez said. \u201cWe\u2019re not in our respective districts most of the time \u2014 we need to improve this.\u201dTrailing behind in all NFPA response benchmarks for low-hazard (houses), mid-hazard (garden apartments and strip malls) and high-hazard (high-rise apartments) situations.Regarding the massive apartment fire at Five10 Flats in May<\/a>, Jimenez said, \u201cHad that been 2 in the morning, it would have been a whole different outcome.\u201dGIS proposes a new fire station near Linden and East Goepp streets to improve the four-minute coverage. Jimenez said it was \u201cstill essential\u201d to have a station in South Bethlehem in the Lynn Avenue area.<\/p>\n Jason Addy<\/p>\n \/<\/p>\n LehighValleyNews.com<\/p>\n Firefighters battle a blaze Friday, May 2, 2025, at Five10 Flats in South Bethlehem.<\/p>\n ‘We need to make that better’<\/p>\n In response to the presentation, Councilwoman Grace Crampsie Smith said, \u201cI\u2019m concerned about the risk of getting injured, being tired and burnt out \u2014 it\u2019s a real concern.\u201d <\/p>\n “I think with time and concerted investment within our city we can get to a place where we have very robust city services and a fire department and a police department that feel genuinely appreciated.\u201d<\/p>\n Bethlehem City Councilwoman Rachel Leon<\/p>\n Speaking on the challenge of balancing density, taxes and high-quality city services, Councilwoman Rachel Leon said, \u201cI think with time and concerted investment within our city we can get to a place where we have very robust city services and a fire department and a police department that feel genuinely appreciated.\u201d<\/p>\n Jimenez said that while the topic at hand wouldn\u2019t have even made it to a city committee meeting five years ago, there\u2019s still plenty of work to be done.<\/p>\n \u201cI am grateful for the collaboration we have had with the mayor’s office and with fire administration, but we need to make that better,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Will Oliver<\/p>\n \/<\/p>\n LehighValleyNews.com<\/p>\n Capt. Matthew Griffin of Bethlehem Fire Department addresses City Council on June 17, 2025, ahead of his vote of appointment to become the city’s newest fire chief and emergency management coordinator.<\/p>\n Budget with F.D. investments to come<\/p>\n The city administration was busy Wednesday planning for Mayor J. William Reynolds\u2019 2026 budget address scheduled for Thursday, according to a prepared statement read into the record at the committee meeting.<\/p>\n The fire administration also was tied up interviewing applicants for the next class of cadets to head to Allentown Fire Academy in January.<\/p>\n Officials said an additional 15 cadets will head to the academy in 2026, while 12 were sent in 2025 and 15 in 2024.<\/p>\n The fire department\u2019s $15 million budget proposed for 2026 includes 3% salary increases, not including overtime, and calls to buy two new fire apparatuses at $3.8 million. <\/p>\n With the two new vehicles, the city will have replaced seven of its eight since 2020, totaling $8.6 million in investment.<\/p>\n Other proposed department purchases for 2026 include four ambulances, a fire command vehicle, fire inspector vehicle and new self-contained breathing apparatus filling station.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can have all the equipment we want, but without the right amount of firefighters, it does us no good.”<\/p>\n Bethlehem Fire Department Lieutenant and Local 735 President Lou Jimenez<\/p>\n The city also is conducting a comprehensive Fire and EMS apparatus protection and efficiency study, with plans to review submissions and bring further plans to council in December.<\/p>\n Officials said they hope to begin the study in early 2026 \u2014 reportedly the first on the topic in 30 years.<\/p>\n At City Council\u2019s Oct. 21 meeting, Fire Chief Matthew Griffin confirmed the department has 104 personnel, including himself and his deputy chief, when fully staffed. <\/p>\n The department currently is down eight positions, he said.<\/p>\n However, four recruits are scheduled to graduate soon from the fire academy and could join the department later in November, Griffin said. <\/p>\n Officials planned to send six, but two didn\u2019t show up for required appointments and the department wasn\u2019t able to fill those spots in time.<\/p>\n And with the newest graduating class, Griffin said BFD will have 33 firefighters among the ranks with less than three years of service each.<\/p>\n ‘Passionate about our mission’<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re here because we want to do the right thing; we\u2019re passionate about our mission,\u201d Bethlehem firefighter and IAFF Treasurer Kyle Dolton said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd hopefully moving forward we can use this as a guide to build this fire department over the next few decades.\u201d<\/p>\n David Ruhf, a former two-term Local 735 president, fire deputy commissioner and assistant chief, said the city department was working with 26 people per shift when he was hired in the mid-1970s \u2014 or 116 total among the ranks.<\/p>\n “You have less than what you had 50 years ago, and the city has grown by leaps and bounds. I do not understand it.”<\/p>\n David Ruhf, former Bethlehem firefighter<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been on this podium at least four times in my career asking for manpower,\u201d Ruhf said. \u201cYou have less than what you had 50 years ago, and the city has grown by leaps and bounds.<\/p>\n \u201cI do not understand it.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"20250502_133654(0).jpg\"](\"https:\/\/static.lehigh-v.lehigh-valley.production.k1.m1.brightspot.cloud\/dims4\/default\/2438640\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/4000x2252+0+0\/resize\/880x495!\/quality\/90\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Flehigh-valley-brightspot.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2F67%2Faf%2F4e19c20244dabaebf2bc0fd7c8bf%2F20250502-1336540.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Matthew](\"https:\/\/static.lehigh-v.lehigh-valley.production.k1.m1.brightspot.cloud\/dims4\/default\/32d6324\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/3383x1903+0+0\/resize\/880x495!\/quality\/90\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Flehigh-valley-brightspot.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fba%2F38%2F4e983d38486aaab0a0ada3d48be7%2Fimg-6964.jpg\")
<\/p>\n