Last week, we detailed St. Cloud Police Chief’s Doug Goerke’s account of his first year leading the department, and his vision for 2023. This week, we highlight the St. Cloud Fire Department, as its Chief, Jason Miller, enters his third year leading that unit. He presented at last week’s St. Cloud Main Street “Breakfast With the Pros” series at VFW Post 3227.
Chief Miller said that St. Cloud Fire Department is “filled to the gills” — every available space in current fire houses and facilities has a firefighter or responder in it. St. Cloud has three shifts of 25 responders working to help residents when called upon.
But after responding to nearly 9,000 calls last year — including fires, auto accidents, hazardous materials and EMS calls — the department is expanding. The city’s next station will open next year in Tohoqua, and space is already been allotted for a new stations in Center Lake on the east side of town, Roan Bridge to the south and in Edgewater — an area north of Kissimmee Park Road and west of Florida’s Turnpike that the city annexed last month, with development already planned.
“Because of how St. Cloud’s grown, and where our lakes area and our road network, there are inefficiencies,” he said. “I don’t want that to affect us here. As for acquiring property, I think we’re in good shape. I’m glad we got our property when we did.”
As for equipment, a new tower truck, designed to reach upwards of four stories about ground and higher, is on order. But, with familiar “supply chain issues,” costs and wait times are rising.
So is the need for more personnel. Miller said his figures show the department will need 63 more firefighters in the next five years.
“That’s a heavy lift for the taxpayers, we recognize that, but the City Council has been good to us,” he said. “Central Florida is experiencing a shortage of firefighters, particularly paramedics. We are recruiting actively.”
To best utilize the current force, Miller is looking to form “peak time units”.
“We’ll determine our highest call-time hours of the day and have extra bodies on overtime working them, before hiring personnel for a different shift schedule,” Miller said. “If we can hire additional resources for that time, it takes the burden off the normal 24-hour trucks, and cuts down our reliance on mutual aid (agreements with the county and city of Kissimmee to assist, 10% of the St. Cloud’s call volume).”
Miller said SCFD will be putting together its upcoming strategic plan soon, and will be reaching to the community via email or phone for feedback.
“Without community input, we can’t have success,” Miller said. “The heavy projection of growth impacts everything, traffic, fire protection service, our way of life. My focus is providing service, so I need that non-fire department perspective.”
But, in fulfilling the No. 1 rule he has for his firefighters — “Be nice” — Miller asks the community to return that favor.
“Firefighters love hearing, ‘Thank you, we appreciate you.’ Support us and support the Council that’ supporting us. As the city grows, we’re doing the best we can.”
