As of January 1^st, the Seattle Fire Department now staffs each and every fire engine and fire truck with the minimum required 4 fire fighters in accordance with NFPA's National Safety Standards. This change will enhance Public Safety and fire fighter safety.

Fire Engine 6 in the Central District, Fire Engine 8 in Queen Anne, and Fire Engine 18 in Ballard are the last 3 engines to meet minimum National Safety Standards for a Fire Engine crew. The City Of Seattle 2007-2008 budget, proposed by Mayor Nickels and approved by the City Council, includes 15 fire fighter positions to meet the minimum safety standard.  These 15 fire fighter positions were negotiated by Seattle Fire Fighters Union, Local 27 in their last contract to address their safety concerns. Seattle Fire Fighters now work more hours to pay for these minimum safety standards.

Seattle Fire Fighters have finally attained minimum staffing levels that meet National Standards after many years of fighting for them. In 2004, after Seattle Fire Fighters were unsuccessful in compelling City Officials to staff all 44 fire engines and trucks with at least 4 fire fighters, they launched a City Charter Amendment campaign to mandate

4-person staffing on all fire engines and trucks.

In the end, Seattle Fire Fighters demonstrated their willingness to sacrifice for the greater good by dropping the Charter Amendment and agreeing to work 48 more hours a year to foot the bill to provide the minimum staffing dictated by National Standards.

Seattle Fire Fighters, who are salaried employees, chose to work 48 more hours a year in order to make citizens safer, and provide minimum safety standards for fire fighters.

The Seattle Fire Department is now staffed at 210 fire fighters per day. This is still well below fire department  staffing levels from years ago when the population was lower and emergency responses were far fewer.

YEAR             EMERGENCY RESPONSES           FIRE FIGHTERS

1965                8,214                                                   232

1985                40,575                                                 201

2006                80,523                                                 201                 

Additionally, emergency responses have dramatically increased and the department has added many additional services such as: Emergency Medical Services, Hazardous Materials Responses, Technical Rescue Responses, Confined Space Responses, Trench Rescue Responses, Marine Team Responses, and Dive Team Responses.

Even with today's staffing improvements Seattle Fire Fighters are doing more with less.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1710 is a national fire department standard that establishes minimum requirements relating to the organization and deployment of fire suppression operations, emergency medical operations, and special operations to the public by substantially all career fire departments.

The NFPA was established in 1896 and serves as the world's leading advocate of fire prevention. It is an authoritative source on public safety. In fact, NFPA's 300 codes and standards influence every building, process, service, design, and installation in the United States, as well as many of those used in other countries.