Focusing on regionalization efforts and improving fire stations are among the top priorities La Crosse Fire Department going into the next five years, according to a strategic plan that will go before the La Crosse Common Council Thursday.
The plan, which covers 2019 through 2023, consists of six main initiatives, including an all-hazard response initiative that calls for the department to increase interoperability with regional departments, La Crosse Fire Chief Ken Gilliam said during a Tuesday interview. “It’s letting people know we’re still here on MABAS expansion, on automatic aid,” Gilliam said.
MABAS stands for the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System and lays out plans for neighboring departments to help each other out with contingencies depending on how many fire calls there are and where they’re located.
The department also plans to explore options for automatic aid and different dispatching policies, as well as coordinating more joint training exercises.