PRESS RELEASE FROM THE OFFICE OF MAYOR DEBBIE KLING

Community feedback sought on proposed fire district consolidation

The Nampa Fire Department, Mayor and Nampa City Council are seeking feedback from residents on the proposed consolidation of the Nampa Fire Department and the Nampa Rural Fire Protection District through virtual and in-person events this month.

Over the past 18 months, a third-party consultant has been evaluating the fiscal sustainability of the Nampa Fire Department and has presented three main options for consideration, including a proposed consolidation with the rural fire district. As Nampa’s population has significantly increased, so too have the calls for service. Since 2017, the Nampa Fire Department has responded to approximately 10,000 calls for service each year. The increase in requests for service have also slowed the response time. The Nampa Fire Department’s goal response time is six minutes and 20 seconds to align with the National Fire Protection Association’s recommended standard (NFPA 1710). Last year, the 90^th percentile response time for the Nampa Fire Department was eight minutes and 17 seconds and it continues to increase each passing year. 

“The lives and property of Nampa residents are extremely important, and we are seriously exploring all options to ensure we can provide the excellent response time and service the residents of Nampa deserve and expect. This decision is very important for our community and we ask residents to learn more about the proposal at our upcoming town halls or virtual options and then share their feedback,” said Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling. “We want to make the right decision for Nampa and hope our residents will take a few moments to provide their input.”

Nampa Fire Chief Kirk Carpenter said, “The City of Nampa and the Nampa Fire Department are proud of our long history and tradition of providing high caliber, well trained and professional emergency response to our community. Protecting the lives and property of the citizens we are sworn to serve and protect is our highest priority. With the continued growth of Nampa, we are realizing gaps in our ability to maintain this level of service. Our City leadership has asked us to explore fiscally sustainable and stable options to overcome these growth-related issues and provide the essential services our citizens deserve.”

The community is invited to learn about the proposed consolidation and other options either virtually or in person at three open houses:

• Open House 1 – Wed., October 21 from 6-8 p.m. in the Baker Room at the Hugh Nichols Safety Building, located at 820 2nd St S.
• Open House 2 –Tues., Oct. 27 from noon to 1 p.m. at Fire Station #4, located at 2112 W Flamingo Ave.
• Open House 3 – Wed. Oct. 28 from 6-7 p.m. at Fire Station #2, located at 1001 E Greenhurst Rd. (Please note: able-bodied residents are encouraged to park along Blakeslee Drive and walk to the station due to limited parking available at the station.) 

Nampa residents are also invited to participate virtually:

• Watch live town hall presentation Wed., October 21 beginning at 6 p.m. at livestream.com/cityofnampa.
• Watch recorded presentation at cityofnampa.us/fire (beginning October 22).

After attending an open house or watching a recorded presentation, residents will be provided a survey link or printed survey. Survey responses will be accepted through October 30, 2020. The results from the citizen survey will be presented to the Mayor and Nampa City Council at the regular meeting November 2. A decision on the best path moving forward for Nampa’s fire service is expected to take place at the November 16 regular council meeting.

Residents who have additional questions or concerns are encouraged to contact the Nampa Fire Department by calling 208-468-5570 or emailing nfdfireadmin@cityofnampa.us. More information is also available at cityofnampa.us/fire.