Eau Claire Fire Rescue responds to all types of calls from fires to emergency medical services. With the number of calls growing, firefighters say more staff is needed.
A community survey could impact the department’s funding.
The Eau Claire community has grown by more than 3,500 since the 2010 census. With a larger population, the number of calls for services provided by the fire department has also gone up.
In 2021 Eau Claire Fire Rescue responded to more than 9,700 calls. Eau Claire Fire Fighters Local 487 said the city’s fire department falls short of the staffing standard put out by the National Fire Protection Agency.
The union said that means in places like the city’s south side, they only have enough staff to run either the ambulance or the fire truck but not both.