During the November 19th city commission meeting, elected officials received a high-level overview of the impacts related to staffing, assets, and equipment, as service to Leon County residents unwinds.
Since 2009, the City of Tallahassee Fire Department has provided fire services to the city residents and unincorporated Leon County under an Interlocal Agreement. During the September 17th meeting, the board notified Leon County that it will not be renewing this agreement, giving the County three years to establish an independent fire services operation. The agreement ends on October 1, 2028.
As a result, the city will dispose of Fire Stations 10-14, along with their related equipment. This includes #10 near Oak Valley, #11 on Centerville Rd, #12 near Chaires, #13 in Woodville, and #14 near Lake Talquin State Park. Stations located within city limits will continue operations uninterrupted.
The city is currently in the process of building Station #17, a public-safety priority for Southside Tallahassee. However, it was initially planned to serve both the city and the county, with 90% of its intended coverage area in the latter. The design will be revised to be a city-only operation, ensuring it is appropriately sized for coverage within city limits.
All current TFD workers will remain employed by the city, including those whose stations will be eliminated.
The update notes that with the increased staffing resulting from the expiration of the agreement, firefighters will be able to concentrate on defined roles and functions during response operations rather than having to divide responsibilities among fewer personnel. Under current operations, TFD is able to staff emergency incidents at approximately 71% of the single-family residence staffing level recommended by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) for safe and effective incident response.
With the expiration of the agreement and the refocusing of operations within the city limits, TFD staffing will be brought up to 100% of this NFPA standard, providing a safer and more efficient operational environment. Increased personnel on scene will improve incident effectiveness, reduce risk to firefighters, and enhance the City’s ability to protect structures from fires. This transition represents the highest operational priority of the Tallahassee Fire Department and marks the most significant enhancement to fire service delivery for Tallahassee’s residents in decades.
