A closer look
During a presentation to council covering the department’s annual report, Poovey said the department is an “all-hazard” department, responding to fires, hazardous materials incidents, EMS calls and rescues.
The department is one position away from being fully staffed, Poovey said, adding that about 50% of personnel have been on the job for more than 10 years. Additionally, 39% of staff have five years or less, and 11% have six to 10 years on the job.
Poovey highlighted several accomplishments, including replacing equipment, incorporating mental wellness evaluations for personnel and maintaining the Heart Safe Community designation.
In total, Poovey said the department received 14,982 calls for service, with 10,335 of those calls for EMS services.
“Our EMS calls are down just a little bit, but our fire calls are up significantly this year,” Poovey said. “There’s no rhyme or reason to it; that’s just the way it happened.”
When a fire occurs, Poovey said the property’s value is determined by the Dallas or Collin County Central Appraisal District. The department then works with the property owner and insurance company to determine how much it will cost to repair the property.
What else?
There were 74 calls for structure fires in 2024, Poovey said, up about 20 from last year. Most of the fires were residential.
Poovey said there were 42 fire investigations, four of which discovered criminal activity. Of those, one case was filed with prosecutors and the outcome is still pending. Personnel can often identify the source at the scene, meaning an investigation is unnecessary.
Additionally, the department completed 36,766 hours of rescue training and 10,024 hours of paramedic training.
Looking forward
Poovey provided updates on renovations to Fire Station No. 5, which are behind schedule but set to be completed in June.
Additionally, the department will continue to work to maintain its ISO 1 status. An ISO 1 score indicates the department provides “excellent service,” and is used by underwriters when determining insurance rates, and can lead to lower insurance rates for homeowners.
Poovey also said the department is partnering with the Dallas County Health Overdose team. When the department responds to an overdose, it reports the incident to the organization, which follows up with the individual to connect them with support services, such as counseling or overdose prevention training.
Despite a portion of Richardson being in Collin County, the organization agreed to cover the entire city, not just the Dallas County portion. In 2024, the department administered 55 doses of Narcan, a treatment used in emergency drug overdose situations.
