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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFY 2027 (Kaua‘i Fire Department) KAUA‘I FIRE DEPARTMENT FY 2027 BUDGET AND OPERATIONS SYNOPSIS Mike Gibson Chief 1 Department: FIRE Fund: GENERAL FUND 1. FY 2026 to FY 2027 BUDGET COMPARISON FY 2026 FY 2027 $ + / - % + / - Salary and Wages 22,113,313 22,163,938 50,625 0.2% Benefits 18,321,755 19,796,391 1,474,636 8.0% Utilities 239,013 239,013 0 0.0% Vehicle/Equip, Lease 4,704,225 8,390,304 3,686,079 78.4% Operations 3,842,193 3,416,038 -426,155 -11.1% 49,220,499 54,005,684 4,785,185 9.7% 45% 37% 0%10% 8% FY 2026 Operating Budget Salary and Wages Benefits Utilities Vehicle/Equip, Lease Operations 41% 37% 0% 16% 6% FY 2027 Operating Budget Salary and Wages Benefits Utilities Vehicle/Equip, Lease Operations 0 5,000,000 10,000,000 15,000,000 20,000,000 25,000,000 Salary and Wages Benefits Utilities Vehicle/Equip, Lease Operations FY 2026 and FY 2027 Comparison FY 2026 FY 2027 2 The overall FY2027 budget for the Kaua‘i Fire Department reflects a disciplined continuation of the Department’s long-term sustainability strategy. Personnel costs continue to represent the majority of the Department’s budget, while operational funding remains focused on maintaining service reliability, life-safety compliance, and scheduled equipment replacement. The overall budget for the Fire Department increased by 9.7%. Personnel costs account for 78% of the overall budget with a year-over-year increase of $1,525,261 in salary and benefit costs for FY2027. Operational costs account for the remaining 22% with a year-over-year increase of $3,259,924. The FY2027 budget does not introduce major program expansion. Instead, it prioritizes adherence to the Annual Equipment Replacement Plan (ERP) established in FY22, ongoing apparatus replacement scheduling, and strengthening Ocean Safety workforce development efforts to sustain operational readiness. 2. MAJOR CHANGES AND/OR VARIANCES IN OPERATIONS BUDGET The FY27 operational focus centers on scheduled replacement of aging apparatus and life-safety equipment rather than expansion initiatives. While overall call volume may fluctuate year-to-year, the complexity of incidents, wildfire risk conditions, coastal rescues, and occupational exposure concerns continue to require sustained operational investment. This budget reflects continuity rather than escalation. KFD FIRE OPERATIONS CALLS FOR SERVICE Incident Type FY2024 FY2025 FY2026 FY24 v FY25 Trend YTD Fire 491 520 245 5.9% Rupture/Explosion 5 0 5 -100% Medical/Rescue 5,346 4,881 3267 -8.7% Hazardous Condition 65 61 44 -6.1% Service Call 569 487 321 -14.4% Good Intent 1,045 1,206 746 -15.4% False Call 204 193 161 -5.4% Severe Weather 5 0 1 -100% Other 42 32 34 -23.8% TOTAL 7772 7380 4824 -5% Acres Burned 590.68 3692.37 51.3 +525% Property Loss $1,042,032.00 $2,949,126.00 $1,450,662.00 +183% 3 OCEAN SAFETY BEACH ACTIVITY Activity Type FY2024 FY2025 FY2026 YTD FY 24 v FY25 Trend Rescue 419 465 229 +11% Preventative Action 197,211 175,458 196,430 -11% First Aid / Minor 9,613 5,649 7,085 -41.2% Public Contact 283,937 179,547 216,898 -36.7% Jet Ski Rescue 169 197 307 +16.6% Beach Attendance 2,112,522 2,319,128 1,832,728 +9.8% Emergency Service Delivery / First Responder Safety Maintaining reliable emergency response capability remains the Department’s highest priority. Apparatus Replacement – The Department continues its structured apparatus replacement strategy to prevent service gaps and excessive maintenance costs by replacing 1 Fire Engine / Pumper and 1 Specialized Apparatus (Brush Truck, HazMat, Water Tender, etc.). Fire engines and specialized apparatus are replaced based on lifecycle targets to ensure frontline reliability. Extended manufacturer lead times (3–4 years) require disciplined adherence to scheduled ordering to avoid future operational deficiencies. This year’s budget provides funds to replace the Hanalei Fire Engine and the Kaiakea HazMat Apparatus. Maintaining this schedule prevents: • Increased mechanical failure risk • Extended downtime • Reserve fleet overuse • Increased maintenance expenditures This year’s apparatus focus remains consistent with the multi-year replacement strategy established in prior budgets. Radios / Communications –The Department continues the phased replacement of aging handheld and vehicle radios. Updated technology enhances interoperability, improves reliability in remote areas, and strengthens responder safety through improved communication clarity, reliability, and redundancy. 4 Occupational Exposure Reduction - Firefighters are routinely exposed to hazardous combustion byproducts and environmental contaminants during emergency operations. FY27 funding supports continued replacement of: • Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) units and cylinders • Decontamination equipment • Thermal imaging cameras • Scheduled Firefighter Structural PPE lifecycle replacements These investments reduce long-term occupational illness risk and support workforce sustainability while maintaining compliance with national best practices. Specialized Training Funds allocated to provide our first responders with realistic fireground operations and Firefighter survival skills training. Also enhanced ropes rescue systems, confined space rescue, helicopter egress (water ditching), rescue watercraft, drone, SCUBA, Hazmat, and advanced training in brush/wildland and wildfire incident management. Occupational Exposure Reduction Firefighters are exposed to combustion by products, carcinogens, marine hazards, and high-risk rescue environments. FY27 funding supports: • Replacement SCBA systems (end-of-life units) • SCBA extractors and decontamination systems • Thermal imaging cameras • PPE lifecycle replacements Proposal FY27 Cost Notes Hanalei Fire Engine (Engine 1) $1,600,000 Replaces CK 2385 (2017) Est Arrival 2030 (age 13 years) Kaiakea Hazmat Apparatus (HazMat 8) $1,500,000 Replaces CK 1934 (2006) Est Arrival 2030 (age 24 years) Radios / Communications $241,000 Replacement Mobile and Handheld - Fire & Ocean Safety Tethered Drone $55,000 First Responder / Safety Officer Support (2) ATV's / 1 Jet ski (Rescue Watercraft) $49,000 Ocean Safety / Fire 5 Proposal FY27 Cost Notes Post Incident Decon Equipment $111,000 SCBA Bottle Decon Unit, Extractor / PPE Washer Firefighter Structure PPE $186,150 Gear & Turnouts Mandatory Annual PPE Deep Clean, Inspection, and Minor Repair $67,542 Contractor Operational Readiness The FY2027 budget strengthens operational readiness through targeted apparatus, infrastructure, and communications investments that directly enhance frontline reliability and responder safety. This year’s funding provides for replacement of the Hanalei Fir e Engine and the Kaiakea HazMat Apparatus, ensuring continued response capability in geographically remote and high-risk service areas. Ocean Safety readiness is enhanced through replacement of the Kekaha Lifeguard Tower, procurement of a new Kapa‘a Rescue Watercraft (jet ski), and replacement of two (2) Ocean Safety ATVs, improving coastal response mobility and equipment reliability. In addition, continued phased upgrades to handheld and mobile radio communications systems strengthen interoperability, improve performance, and enhance incident accountability. Together, these investments sustain operational capacity, reduce mechanical downtime risk, and ensure that both Fire and Ocean Safety personnel remain properly equipped to protect the community under in creasingly complex response conditions. Proposal FY 26 Cost Notes Kekaha Lifeguard Tower $85,000 Scheduled Replacement (20 to 25 Years) Ocean Safety Workforce Development A key FY27 emphasis is strengthening the Ocean Safety workforce pipeline. The Seasonal Lifeguard Apprenticeship Program strengthens the Ocean Safety workforce pipeline by creating a structured entry pathway for individuals seeking to pursue a professional lifeguard career. The program allows participants to gain supervised field experience, mentorship, and foundational rescue skills while preparing for full certification. By developing local talent and providing a clear progression into permanent Ocean Safety positions, the apprenticeship model supports succession planning, improves recruitment and retention, reduces long-term overtime strain, and enhances overall coastal response readiness. This initiative represents a sustainable investment in building the next generation of ocean safety professionals for Kaua‘i. 6 3. OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES Aging Equipment KFD manages a broad inventory of specialized equipment across structural fire, wildland fire, technical rescue, marine rescue, and hazardous materials response. As equipment ages, performance reliability declines and safety margins narrow. The FY27 budget continues systematic replacement through the Annual Equipment Replacement Plan established in FY22, replacing approximately 10% of inventory annually based on a 10–15-year lifecycle model. This strategy reduces long-term fiscal impact and mitigates safety risk. We anticipate the arrival of Two (2) Fire Engines, Three (3) Brush Trucks, and One (1) additional Water Tanker in the next several months. These acquisitions will allow us to retire some of our very poor condition reserve apparatus, as well as establish the resources needed to support our Wildfire Response plan. Wildland / Brush Fires Wildland and brush fire response continues to present operational challenges for the Department due to recurring drought conditions, invasive fire-prone grasses, expanding Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) areas, and increased ignition sources. These incidents often require extended operational periods, interagency coordination, and significant apparatus and personnel commitment, placing strain on staffing and equipment resources. Large-acreage fires can quickly threaten communities, infrastructure, and watersheds, particularly in rural areas with limited water supply and access constraints. The Department continues to prioritize wildfire readiness through specialized training, brush apparatus capability, water tender support, and coordinated mitigation efforts, recognizing that proactive preparation remains essential to protecting both the community and our first responders. Incident Command and Safety Oversight National firefighter line-of-duty deaths and near-miss reports emphasize the need for improved command support. Our Training Programs and equipment requests throughout this budget are grounded in life-safety risk reduction. As incident complexity continues to increase, maintaining effective incident command and safety oversight remains an operational challenge. Multi -unit responses, technical rescues, wildland incidents, and hazardous materials events require disciplined command structure, accountability, and real-time risk assessment to protect both responders and the public. Simultaneous incidents can strain supervisory capacity, particularly in geographically dispersed areas of the island. Sustaining strong incident management requires continued leadership development, training in the Incident Command System (ICS), safety officer proficiency, and consistent operational coordination across battalions. Investment in these areas ensures that as operational demands grow, command presence, firefighter accountability, and scene safety remain uncompromised. 4. OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM FY 2026 7 Service Delivery FY2026 marked significant progress in strengthening frontline emergency response capability. The Department executed the contract for acquisition of a twin -engine public safety helicopter, with anticipated delivery in 2028. Securing this contract ensures long-term aviation sustainability and enhances inter-island medevac capacity, over-water safety margins, night and instrument flight capability, and wildfire reconnaissance support. Additionally, the Department anticipates delivery of two (2) front-line fire engines, new brush apparatus, and one (1) water tender under its multi-year fleet lifecycle replacement strategy. These apparatuses directly support reliable emergency response, rural water supply operations, wildfire suppression capability, and reduce d mechanical downtime. Together, these investments reflect proactive planning to ensure uninterrupted service delivery to our community. Operational Readiness In FY2026, the Department advanced modernization efforts through procurement and implementation of a new Fire Records Management System (RMS). This system strengthens NFIRS/NFPA compliance, improves EMS reporting accuracy, enhances training and certification tracking, and provides improved performance analytics to support future Standards of Cover analysis. Continued adherence to the Annual Equipment Replacement Plan (established in FY22) ensures systematic replacement of aging life-safety equipment, reducing operational risk and avoiding large future capital spikes. These efforts reinforce accountability, data transparency, and workforce sustainability while maintaining fiscal discipline. Community Risk Reduction FY2026 included continued advancement of wildfire mitigation coordination and Wildland -Urban Interface (WUI) considerations in development review and planning efforts. These measures reflect a prevention-based approach to risk reduction and align with statewide lessons learned regarding wildfire resilience. Additionally, expanded Ocean Safety training initiatives focused on increasing the number of certified lifeguards and strengthening career pathways within the Ocean Safety Bureau. By building workforce depth and enhancing coastal response capability, the Department continues to reduce risk to residents and visitors while improving long-term public safety outcomes.