The Grapevine City Council is set to consider buying a squad vehicle for the fire department, a move city leaders say fits rising EMS demand but firefighters argue could weaken fire response

By Fousia Abdullahi
Fort Worth Star-Telegram

GRAPEVINE, Texas — The Grapevine City Council on Tuesday, April 7, will consider the purchase of a first-responder vehicle for the Fire Department that will replace Engine 1.

The replacement of a traditional fire truck with this smaller squad vehicle, designed to respond to a wider variety of calls, is opposed by the Grapevine Professional Firefighters Association. The union said the new vehicle would have less personnel and equipment to substantially fight a fire before a fire engine arrives.

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City leaders, including the fire chief, say a reorganization of personnel and equipment is necessary to meet the needs of the growing city. They don’t believe the change will pose a public safety risk.

A consultant hired by the city in 2021 recommended the reorganization, including the need for a fourth ambulance. About 71% of calls to the fire department are for EMS.

The fire department wants to purchase a Fouts Bros. Texas Quick Attack vehicle, built on a Ford F-550 chassis, for $325,000.

This is a smaller first-out firefighting rescue truck that can be used for a number of emergency situations. The vehicle would carry two personnel instead of Engine 1’s three to four people, and can carry 350 gallons of water and 10 gallons of foam.

“A squad is a support apparatus that can support every type of emergency, but it is not a standalone type piece of equipment for those types of incidents,” a union spokesperson told the Star-Telegram.

On Monday, the union posted a new statement on social media about the proposed purchase.

“Engine 1 is a fully equipped, all-hazards fire engine that is already paid for, staffed with 3–4 firefighters, and capable of delivering 1500 (gallons per minute) with 1500+ feet of hose,” the statement read. “It provides the staffing, equipment, and water supply necessary to effectively respond to fires and complex emergencies.”

The Star-Telegram has previously reported the city said the move is a “strategic reallocation of resources and strengthening minimum staffing to be more efficient stewards of public funds.”

“In 2021, the results of an operational and efficiency study by a leading public safety consulting firm, Fitch and Associates, were presented to the City Council,” said a statement from the mayor and city manager. “That study led us to the need to purchase a fourth ambulance to meet the needs of our residents and visitors and the ability to reallocate existing resources to do so.”

The union, which has conducted its own study, said since the city’s Fitch and Associates report, the number of total emergency calls has increased by 19.8%, and EMS services by 13.1%.

It says this step to remove Engine 1 company and replace it with “a lesser-equipped unit represents a reduction in service to the community.”

The city council meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

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