Raleigh’s rapid growth over the past two decades has necessitated a reevaluation of its public safety infrastructure. On July 1, the Raleigh City Council was presented with the Raleigh Fire Master Plan by Fire Chief Herbert Griffin and consultants from Darkhorse Emergency and NC Fire Chief Consulting. The plan examines the current capabilities of the Raleigh Fire Department and projects future service demands over the next 25 years.
Greg Grayson of NC Fire Chief Consulting remarked, “The Raleigh Fire Department, historically, has been a strong and capable fire department. Today, you are a strong and capable fire department. The recommendations within the study are designed to continue to allow you to be strong and dependable.”
Currently, Raleigh enjoys high fire insurance ratings due to its existing resources, water supply, and communication capabilities. These ratings often lead to lower insurance premiums for residents. However, response times indicate areas needing improvement according to National Fire Protection Association standards. While the aspirational standard response time for municipal fire departments is six minutes for EMS calls and six minutes twenty seconds for non-EMS responses at 90 percent of calls, Raleigh’s average response time stands at nine minutes three seconds for 90 percent of calls. Additionally, alarm handling time in Raleigh averages two minutes forty-six seconds compared to the national standard of one minute.
The master plan identifies daily challenges faced by the department and suggests measures to enhance response times as the city continues to grow.
Short-term recommendations include hiring an additional 18 firefighters to cut overtime costs and burnout while reducing alarm-response times. In the medium term, it advises replacing five outdated stations, constructing new ones near Wilders Grove and Neuse Crossroads, adding four station crews, and optimizing ladder truck deployment. Long-term plans involve building two more stations and strengthening mutual aid agreements with nearby areas such as Cary, Knightdale, and Wake/New Hope.
To implement these improvements through 2050 will require investments exceeding $800 million aimed at maintaining and enhancing Raleigh’s firefighting capabilities.
