KILLEEN, Texas — The Killeen City Council approved a budget of $268 million for fiscal year 2022 last week and in it are some big changes for the city's fire department.
"It's all kind of finally moving in the right direction at one time, you know, it's not little dribbles here and there, instead of the the hose being cracked -- it's like wide open now," said Captain Tim Rabroker with the Killeen Fire.
The City of Killeen is supporting the fire department through major investments that will help them grow as the city rapidly grows.
"To know that support is there from the top down from are city leaders, all the way down to all the chief officers on the department here," said Fire Chief James Kubinski. "Even more exciting it was to be able to deliver the news to the men and women on the street."
Kubinski tells 6 News when he took the job he was on a mission to get his firefighters and EMS personnel what they deserve.
He says at least three stations across the city were working more hours than they should have and not getting rates comparable to crews in similar situations and cities.
Helping retention, fire fighter paramedics will be given a four percent pay increase, on top of a stipend premium pay for an additional $4,100 per member. The stipend is coming from ARPA funding. Pay raises go into effect Oct. 1.
"Nobody comes to this career field just for the money so that is a nice refreshing thing when you do feel like you're appreciated and you do kind of measure yourself against your peers and your neighbors throughout the state and you see that that you're being called compensated on par with them and that You're being recognized. as as as being worth it," Rabroker explained.
The department will also add at least nine new personnel to man a new ambulance that will soon be in service. More manpower and a new unit will help split the work load, especially at the busiest, the central fire station.
"On an average day, we probably run, department wide around 120 calls a day and a good 30% to 40% come out of the station," Rabroker said.
Kubinski tells 6 News he expects the new ambulance to be in service sometime in November after the personnel are hired and trained. They'll start hiring for those nine positions the second week of October.
Killeen Fire is trying to keep up with the demand of the rapidly growing city which also includes new facilities that suit the department and the citizens.
Kubinski said, "$11.9 million of ARPA funds to build an EOC and relocate our training center and our support services division into one campus and it's going to be a large a piece of property that the future fire station will be built there within the next couple of years to handle that service area of concern to make sure we can still get to your house with as little response time as possible."
It's unclear when the new facility will start being built or where but plans are in the works.