Fire Department Staffing Study

The City of Hopkins Fire Staffing Study will help establish a long-range vision for the Hopkins Fire Department to address changing trends in recruitment and retention of fire service members and plan for anticipated changes to the City’s population and land use patterns. 

The City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in Spring 2023, and selected Kansas City-based firm, Raftelis as the consultant.

Fire Staffing Study Presentation and Open House

The City of Hopkins and consultant firm Raftelis held a presentation and open house on the City of Hopkins Fire Department Staffing Study in September to provide overview of the project, and for community members to conversationally engage, ask questions, learn and share. 

Provide Feedback

View a final copy of the report (PDF). 

The community can be provide feedback online until October 15. 

Goals of the Fire Staffing Study

The comprehensive staffing study will:

  • Evaluate the current staffing model and its ability to provide for projected higher service demand in future years;
  • Evaluate several staffing scenarios including transitioning to a full-time department, a larger fire district, or outsourcing, and maintaining the current model or any other staffing model recommended by the consultants;
  • Recommend an optimal staffing model for the fire department that effectively meets community expectations;  
  • Evaluate the financial impact of staffing changes, including any impact to apparatus or fleet, equipment, facilities, and capital demands.

Fire Staffing Study Content

The final comprehensive staffing study will include:

  • Identification of current baseline and analysis of current fire department services, service levels and budgets, including response times, ISO rating, staffing, facilities, major equipment and any other applicable factors.
  • Define the expectations of service as identified by our community, our employees and department mission, vision, and values and City Management and City Council vision.
  • Recommend the optimal staffing model and leadership structure for the fire department including providing proposed organizational chart(s).
  • Conduct an inventory of the current fleet of apparatus, equipment and facilities and make recommendations regarding apparatus, equipment and facilities inventory and staffing. Provide analysis of any differences per each model/scenario.
  • An analysis of the rental licensing and property maintenance inspections program and recommendations for determining efficiency opportunities, adequate staffing and performance standards based on current and future service demands.
  • Identification of the barriers to achieving the desired service levels and offer potential solutions, and identification of any opportunities to better provide and achieve service goals, if any.
  • Provide recommendations on the fire department’s ability to promote an optimal culture which retains staff and supports the emotional and physical wellbeing of staff be retained or improved. As such, each recommendation should take into consideration how that recommendation might impact culture, retention, and the wellbeing of staff.
  • Provide recommendations on the fire department and the City’s ability to maintain efficient and effective operations. 

Virtual Engagement Sessions

The City of Hopkins and consultant firm Raftelis held two virtual engagement sessions in June on the Staffing Study to provide an overview of the project, discuss the challenges the department/City is facing and explore various future models of fire service including transitioning to a full-time department or regionalization.

Virtual participants were asked to give feedback about what they want to see from the fire service.

View a copy of the presentation