The order includes a replacement for a ladder truck that will be retired as well as a new truck equipped with a basket for rescue operations.
The big picture
This purchase will expand Station No. 3 in northwest Richardson according to the Fire Department Strategic Master Plan, which was approved by the City Council on Nov. 10.
The station plans to staff the additional truck, which has a delivery timeline of two years, by hiring 15 firefighters.
The funding source
Both new firetrucks will be funded by certificates of obligation, according to city documents. A certificate of obligation is a flexible form of funding that allows local governments to issue debt without direct taxpayer approval.
Further improvements outlined in the Fire Master Plan, like a potential new fire station, will rely on funding from the upcoming 2026 bond program, which is still in development.
“I do think we need to have fire station seven in here,” council member Ken Hutchenrider said during an Oct. 6 work session. “I look at all the growth that we’ve had. ... I think we have got to continue to push that, and I think it has to be in this bond program.”
What’s next?
Council will consider propositions for the bond program through January.
The deadline to call a bond election is Feb. 9, and election day is May 2.
