SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane Fire Department canceled their fire academy training for 2024 due to the $50 million city deficit.
"The fire academy is an expensive proposition," Spokane Fire Chief Julie O'Berg said.
O'Berg said the training costs $750,000.
"The last two and a half years, the department has been doing two academies a year in order to rebuild our relief pool," O'Berg said.
A relief pool is a group able to work as needed, as staff take vacation or sick leave.
O'Berg said during the pandemic, the relief pool was limited due to COVID-19 protocols, but emphasized its growth as of 2024.
"While that relief pool was not where we wanted it to be for a final number, it's healthier than it had been in a while," O'Berg said.
As crews plan for fire academy training next year, O'Berg emphasized an upcoming proposal item on the November ballot known as the Community Safety Sales Tax.
It equates to one-tenth or one percent, or $1 for every $1,000 dollars spent, excluding necessities like food, prescription drugs or rent.
"We are rebuilding our capital fleet to make sure that we have a healthy fleet of fire trucks and ladder trucks and brush trucks that, honestly, we've been rebuilding now for a couple of years," O'Berg said.
O'Berg emphasized the department is planning fire academy training in 2025, and hopes by that time, the proposed tax gets voted in favor to help with equipment needs.
"We felt comfortable this year, that our numbers were healthier, so that we could manage our overtime budget without it getting completely out of control, and take one year away from Academy and then pick back up in 2025," O'Berg said.
More information on the proposed tax can be found on the City of Spokane website.