Frisco is investing in its fire department through an approximately $2.6 million federal grant and a $133,535 study on firefighter shift rotations.
During its Oct. 20 meeting, the Frisco City Council approved two consent agenda items to accept federal funding for 12 firefighter/paramedic positions over three years and fund laboratory testing for a study examining firefighter shift schedules.
Grant funding
Frisco City Council approved a resolution to accept nearly $2.6 million through the FEMA SAFER grant program, which provides financial assistance to fire departments to increase or maintain the number of trained, frontline firefighters available in their communities.
The funding will support the staffing needed to put another fire truck into service. City documents state the grant covers eligible base salaries and standard benefits but excludes overtime, supplemental pay and certain operating expenses.
The grant requires the city to contribute a portion of eligible personnel costs over three years.
According to city documents, the funding would help staff a fourth frontline fire truck expected to be delivered in fall 2027. City documents state the Frisco Fire Department will assume responsibility for ineligible costs each year through its annual operating budget. The city manager’s submission of the FEMA SAFER grant application was ratified in June.
Frisco Interim Fire Chief Clay Carpenter said the future fire truck will be made by Pierce Engineering and will serve the north side of the city.
“We’re very excited to get these 12 firefighters on board and get them trained up and get them to work,” Carpenter said. “The last time we were rewarded the SAFER grant was in 2018 to help us staff Station 9, and we’ve applied for it every year since.”
Shift change study
City Council first proposed a shift rotation study while creating its 2026-27 budget and tax rate, allocating $112,500 to evaluate alternatives to its 24-hour-on, 48-hour-off schedule. Nearly two months later, City Council approved a $133,535 purchase order, partnering with East Texas A&M University for laboratory testing to evaluate how different shift schedules affect firefighters.
City documents state the research will compare the fire department’s current shift schedule with a proposed alternative that follows a repeating cycle of 24 hours on duty, 72 hours off, 48 hours on duty and another 72 hours off.
The study will monitor 59 participants using specialized equipment and periodic laboratory testing over a one-year period, with a $133,535 purchase order covering testing costs.
Carpenter said 107 Frisco firefighters volunteered to participate in the program as “there’s a movement across the entire fire service looking at different schedules to better balance their home-work life.”
“By capturing all those data points, we can then get with our firefighters and city manager to determine what the best path forward is based off the study that’s specific to Frisco,” Carpenter said.
