Page 23 - ArlingtonFY24AdoptedBudget

Business Plan

The Fire Department (AFD) consists of Fire/Rescue Operations, Fire Prevention Inspections/EOD Services, Medical
Operations/Public Health, Fire Training, Fire Resource Management, the Office of Emergency Management, 9-1-1
Dispatch/Public Safety Communication Services, Office of Special Events, Special Operations Groups, and Business Services.
The Arlington Fire Department’s mission is to
meet and exceed our community's needs and
expectations by providing high quality
emergency response, life safety, and
community support services.

AFD, Tarrant County College, and the Arlington
Independent School District (AISD) continue to
collaborate providing a two-year college credit
program for high school students who wish to
pursue a career as a Firefighter/EMT.

The program allows students to graduate with a
certifiable status in Basic Fire Suppression from
the Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP) and a National Registry EMT certification, with college credits and increased
job opportunity potential. This initiative has served as a model for additional AISD vocational credit career programs. For the
2023-2024 school year, AISD will provide funding for a dedicated Fire Academy Officer to coordinate the program. To date,
AISD Fire Academy has completed 12 total classes and 10 alumni have been hired by AFD.

In FY 2023, AFD was challenged to respond to a wide range of community service demands beyond typical structure fires and
emergency medical services. The department continued to meet the demands created by COVID-19, by administering
vaccinations and continued public outreach through the Public Health Unit including AFD’s Public Health Nurse and an expanded
Community Paramedic Program.

FY 2023 saw AFD undergoing several capital improvement projects, including the planning of the demolition and new
construction of Fire Station 8 in the entertainment district, and completing the new construction of Fire Station 1, a flagship
station in the heart of downtown.

Service delivery was expanded as AFD added a third Swift Water Boat and purchased four new drones. The drone program
immensely speeds up wide area search and rescue operations and allows a first-person view into areas that may be hostile to
firefighters. Fire Training expanded reach and will be training newly hired firefighters to the standard of Nationally Registered
Advanced EMTs.

In addition to Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers, and XFL games, AFD’s Special Events team hosted multiple large events
including the Big 12 Championship, the Commander’s Classic, and the Cotton Bowl. The Office of Special Events also hosted
several large concerts including Ed Sheeran, Luke Combs, and 3 sold out days of Taylor Swift. The American Rodeo,
Supercross, and Monster Jam are annual events that also draw
approximately 80,000 attendees.

The City of Arlington’s Office of Grants Management is
committed to building and sustaining working relationships with
citizens, neighborhood organizations, schools, businesses, and
community service agencies. Annually, using federal entitlement funds
from the United States Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD), the Grants Management team is charged with
providing financial support while continuously evaluating the efficiency
and cost effectiveness of community services.

Using funds from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG),
Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) and HOME Investment Partnerships, Grants Management administers funding annually for

FY 2024 Adopted Budget and Business Plan 14 City of Arlington, Texas