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Tag Archives: Austin Fire Department

Public Safety Commission discusses firefighter cancer prevention, quarterly Fire Department update, and bylaws

On Monday, the Public Safety Commission (PSC) heard a quarterly report from the Austin Fire Department and discussed initiatives related to firefighter cancer prevention. The commission also conducted business related to their internal Austin Police Department (APD) Training Academy Working…

City reports fewer crimes, stable crowds in Sixth Street pilot

Data from the city’s efforts to revitalize the Sixth Street Entertainment District show reductions in violent crime and public safety incidents, according to a new memo summarizing the results of a pilot program launched late last year. A recent memo…

City and county officials kick off Wildfire Awareness Month

As Austin/Travis County heads into another scorching hot wildfire season, city and county leaders are sharing updates on community-wide preparedness efforts and emphasizing how individual Austinites can do their part. Local officials held a press conference on Tuesday to kick…

Staffing isn't the only thing to blame for Austin's slow 911 response times

When someone calls 911 for help in Austin, about 93 percent of those calls are answered within 15 seconds. But once those calls are answered, police, fire or EMS must then respond. And those public safety agencies are not responding…

ZAP recommends first-time zonings of former ‘Hickmuntown’ on city’s northwest edge

The Zoning and Platting Commission voted 6-2-1 to recommend first-time zonings for two plots of undeveloped land at a northwestern edge of the city in a case that emphasized the commission’s commitment to a maximalist housing policy. The lots in…

As wildfire anxiety grows, Austin plans to designate half the city as at risk of fire damage

Austin plans to greatly expand the amount of land, and therefore homes, considered at risk of wildfire damage. City Council members are scheduled to discuss updating rules surrounding Austin’s WUI, or Wildland-Urban Interface, later this month. This is the area…

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Austin ranks fifth in nation for cities most at risk for wildfires

According to a CoreLogic Wildfire Risk Report conducted in 2024, Austin ranks fifth in the nation for cities most at risk for wildfires. The top four cities are all located in California. David Bock, senior wildfire mitigation specialist at the…

Austin ranks 5th in major cities vulnerable to wildfires

Those who were in Austin in 2011 remember the tragic wildfires that hit Bastrop, Steiner Ranch and Spicewood that summer. The fires collectively burned through thousands of acres of land and destroyed over a thousand homes. “You can still drive…

City Council moves to complete purchase of combined public safety headquarters

The city is moving ahead with the planned purchase of a combined public safety campus located in four existing office buildings on South MoPac Expressway in District 8. Late during Thursday’s City Council meeting, after several hours of public comment…

City considers acquiring new combined HQ for police, fire and EMS

Next week, City Council will consider approving a $107.8 million allocation to acquire an office campus along South MoPac Expressway that would serve as a consolidated headquarters for the city’s public safety agencies, which are located in outdated and cramped…

Council urges cutting PFAS from firefighting equipment

On a unanimous vote Thursday, City Council adopted a resolution urging the city’s Fire Department to eliminate PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) from the city’s firefighting equipment, noting that the substance is dangerous not only to firefighters but also to…

Firefighters call for more cadets to address safety, mental health needs

The Austin Firefighters Association is seeking more attention to the safety issues facing its membership, which were discussed in part last week during City Council budget sessions. The AFA had planned to hold a press conference Monday to publicize issues…

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