WHAT WE REPORTED The all-volunteer League City Fire Department is pushing recruiting efforts to meet increasing emergency-
response demands as the city continues to grow. The number of volunteer firefighters has remained mostly flat at about 120 volunteers throughout the past decade as the number of emergency calls has steadily increased. The League City City Council in August approved borrowing $11 million, about $5.68 million of which will go toward a new fire station the department needs to keep response times low.

THE LATEST As a result of a recruitment campaign 60 League City residents applied to become League City firefighters as of mid-December.

In late 2018 fire department officials met with the city’s communications team and devised strategies to push recruitment. The department and city put up a few billboards and made several social media posts to push for new recruits.

About 30 recruits will enter an academy early this year to become League City firefighters. The department has not had that many recruits in a decade. The remainder will possibly join an academy later this year, District Chief Daniel Gibbs said.

In November the city broke ground on Fire Station No. 6 at 7505 S. Shore Blvd. The project will be complete by the end of the year.