HOUSTON – A nationwide shortage of firefighters impacts the Houston Fire Department. KPRC 2′s Zach Lashway explains what is being done to get more people to join HFD.
“We’re starting to do some very, very aggressive recruiting. And we’re going out there, you know, talking to individuals, going to colleges, making those collaborations, those partnerships with high schools as well,” explained Chief Thomas Munoz.
While most run away from emergencies men and women of the HFD run toward situations in which every second counts.
HFD averages 1,200 runs a day. 85% of those calls are for EMS, 15% of those calls are for fires.
“I just felt like I was meant to do something so much bigger,” explained Morgan Holman a cadet with HFD.
For Holman, this is a second career. The 31-year-old woman will graduate from the academy in April 2025.
“End goal. Houston firefighter. Be it. I want to be back here. I want to be an instructor here. There’s no females here, and that’s what I want to be,” excitedly explained Holman.
Women make up 2% of membership. The national average of women in fire departments is 3.5%. HFD administration states female firefighters are in all ranks and divisions from assistant chief.
Hunter Reed is another cadet. The 21-year-old is a legacy member of HFD.
“I’ll be a third generation up in Houston. My dad’s working, currently on a station I’ve been in for almost 20 years. My grandpa invented the Reed hood. Very popular in Houston,” explained Reed.
Recruiting new firefighters like Reed and Holman are crucial for the new administration.
“When I took this position, there is a crisis, a shortage. You know, we have approximately 600 firefighters short,” explained Munoz.
“We started an initiative with re-hires people that that left the department over the last five years for whatever reason. You know we’re open up the door for them. I’ve got a class that’s starting in October, with the retirees that are, that are coming back and they’re excited,” stated Assistant Chief Professional Development Mike Brown.
Brown added the number one issue facing the department is staffing, including a paramedic shortage.
“That’s our biggest challenge right now. We’re an older department right now. We have probably over a thousand members that are eligible with 20 plus years to retire,” said Brown. “3,800 (men and women make up HFD) right now. Approximately. It would be nice to have 4,300 to 4,500. We just can’t get enough people fast enough, the right people.”
According to Brown, HFD is the third largest fire department in the U.S. “We’re constantly trying to get facilities updated and better. We just put, I think five of six brand new apparatuses in service. Two fire stations right now that are in the process of being remodeled.”
Only larger than HFD are FDNY and City of Los Angeles.
Here is the link to start the process of becoming a firefighter or a paramedic with HFD.
Brown said there’s plenty of opportunity for advancement. There are up to six academy classes a year.
