A city-commissioned study found Norman Fire Department needs three additional stations and 78 firefighters to improve coverage and meet its five-minute response time goal

NORMAN, Okla. — A third-party study commissioned by the city of Norman found that the fire department needs three additional stations and 78 more firefighters to meet its five-minute response-time goal and address public safety needs.

Fire Chief Travis King told KOCO that increasing staffing is a priority, both to strengthen existing crews and provide personnel for the proposed new stations.

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“Anytime we open a new station, we need 15 people to do that. We do not have the surplus people to open any new stations, so it’s going to take hiring more people,” King said.

The plan calls for relocating Station 5 along with building three new stations. Officials said growth in southeast and northeast Norman has made it harder to meet the department’s five-minute response goal, especially in rural areas.

King estimated each new station would cost $12 million to $13 million to build, not including land, equipment or staffing.

Funding for the new stations has not been finalized and could ultimately require voter approval. The relocation of Station 5 is already funded through a public safety sales tax approved by voters in 2015. Fire officials have presented the study to the Norman City Council and said planning can now move forward.

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