Fire & EMS Stakeholder Committee Begins Work to Strengthen Service Delivery

The City of Garland's new Fire & EMS Stakeholder Committee recently kicked off, holding its first public meeting on Sept. 10. Formed at the direction of the City Council, this committee is charged with exploring long-term, financially sustainable approaches to Fire and Emergency Medical Services.

What the Committee Will Do

• Quality of care: Evaluate ways to enhance emergency response and patient outcomes.
• Workforce sustainability: Assess potential for burnout and retention for first responders.
• Long-term sustainability: Recommend financially and operationally sound service models.
• Operational review: Evaluate the City's 24-on/48-off operating schedule.

Committee Membership

The committee consists of 15 members, including City leadership, Fire Department personnel, and community leaders who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the Fire Department through volunteerism, participation in department programs, and active community engagement.

• Chris Ott, Chair, City Council, Public Safety Committee
• Carissa Dutton, City Council, Public Safety Committee
• Margaret Lucht, City Council, Public Safety Committee
• Judson Rex, City Manager
• Matt Watson, Chief Financial Officer
• Kristen Smith, Managing Director of HR
• Allyson Bell-Steadman, Director of Budget & Financial Strategy
• Mark Lee, Fire Chief
• Tyler Little, Driver-Engineer
• Bill Crews, President, Garland Firefighter's Association
• Dr. Matthew Tice, Medical Director
• Scott LeMay, Community Leader
• Merrill Balanciere, Community Leader
• Jason Collard, Community Leader
• Melissa Garner, Community Leader

To support their work, an EMS consultant will work alongside the committee to assist with research, analysis and answering technical questions during the exploration of different service models and operational approaches.

Stay Informed

Meetings are hosted by the City Council's Public Safety Committee, open to the public, and scheduled monthly over the next nine to twelve months. Meetings will be held at 6 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month in the Central Library, 625 Austin St.

Agendas and recordings are posted at GarlandTX.gov so residents can attend meetings and follow progress throughout the committee's work.