HUDSON FIRE DEPARTMENT
"We Serve to Save"
(715) 386-5861
NEWS RELEASE
CITY OF HUDSON ASSESSES CRITICAL NEED TO MODERNIZE FIRE DEPARTMENT STAFFING TO IMPROVE EMERGENCY RESPONSE
HUDSON, WI
Yesterday, the City of Hudson released a report highlighting growing demand for fire and emergency services and the need to evaluate staffing and service models to ensure reliable responses. The report also outlines potential funding solutions to support long-term public safety.
Staffing Model Challenges
Hudson Fire Department (HFD) relies primarily on 45 paid-on-call firefighters, supported by four full-time staff working weekday daytime hours. With no staff stationed overnight or on weekends, response availability is unpredictable and delays are common, particularly during daytime hours, overnight, weekends, and holidays. Compared to peer communities, Hudson has significantly fewer full-time personnel and relies more heavily on on-call responders.
“When a call comes in, there isn’t a staffed fire station ready to respond,” said Hudson Fire Chief Drew Spielman. “Our firefighters are coming from home, work, or wherever they happen to be at that moment. That reality makes response times less predictable and highlights the limitations of a system built almost entirely on paid-on-call or volunteer personnel.”
Increased Demand and Service Complexity
Emergency call volume has increased by approximately 62% since 2015, increasing from 397 calls annually to 643 calls in 2025. In 2025, HFD responded to 89 motor vehicle accidents, 88 medical assists, 152 smoke alarm activations and 8 structure fires.
Response Times Exceed National Benchmarks
Average response time for the first fire truck to arrive is 16 minutes and 43 seconds—well above the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) benchmark of four minutes.
“These delays are not due to a lack of dedication from our firefighters,” said Spielman. “They are a result of a system that relies on responders traveling from other locations rather than being stationed and ready to respond immediately.”
Seeking Improvement
To improve service delivery and ensure a reliable force is available to provide emergency services when calls come in, HFD must hire 12 additional full-time staff and increase formal, part-time support. Beginning in 2027, there will also be a need to fund the full-time Assistant Chief position.
These staffing adjustments would:
-
Establish consistent, 24/7 staffing at the fire station
-
Provide rapid medical response support
-
Reduce response times to meet national standards
The Department will continue to maintain the paid-on-call program to supplement full-time staffing.
Funding Considerations
Estimates indicate the recommended hybrid staffing model would cost approximately $2.7 million annually. For the City of Hudson, which provides about 56% of Fire Department operational funding, the annual cost would come in at approximately $1.49 million. The Village of North Hudson, Town of Hudson and the Town of Troy would be required to provide their portions of Department costs.
The City of Hudson worked to identify potential options for funding this more sustainable public safety approach. Due to state restrictions, the community has two primary options if it chooses to invest in more reliable fire and emergency services:
-
Pursue a referendum to exceed the state-imposed property tax levy limits by the amount needed for Fire Department operations.
-
Implement a municipal wheel tax to fund the City’s transportation-related costs, pivoting existing dollars to the Fire Department.
After evaluating the options, it was determined that a wheel tax is likely not a viable path forward.
About the City of Hudson Fire Department
Established in 1873, the Hudson Fire Department (HFD) serves a 49-square-mile area, providing fire and emergency services to nearly 33,000 residents across the City of Hudson and surrounding communities through service agreements. Beginning in 2027, HFD will expand its service area to encompass approximately 25 additional sq. miles and 561 residents in the Town of Troy.