NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Newport News is adding 16 firefighter-medic positions and 4 new lieutenant positions to its fire department after the city budget passed and took effect.
Newport News Fire Chief Wesley Rogers said the new lieutenant positions will help build supervision levels within the department's EMS division.
"The lieutenant positions are for our EMS divisions," he told News 3 on Thursday. "Those lieutenant positions allow us to start building out some supervision levels in that EMS division."
The department has about 370 sworn personnel and runs an average of 39,000 calls for service a year. The additional positions will also help the department meet national staffing standards, allowing more personnel to respond on each truck.
"That allows us to reduce the amount of firetrucks that are going up and down the road reducing the risk to our citizens," Rogers said.
Rogers said the new hires will also benefit firefighters who have been stretched thin by the high call volume.
"It's better for health and safety for them. Those extended hours, those extended overtimes it's tough on them and it's tough on our folks so so increasing our staffing helps alleviate that," Rogers said.
The department is currently in the process of hiring, and no prior firefighting experience is required.
WATCH: Newport News budget proposes adding new public safety positions
"We're really excited about it. It's great for the Newport News fire department. It's great for the citizens of Newport News," Rogers said.
Retired Newport News firefighter Adrian Manning, who also serves as president of the Newport News Firefighters Association, welcomed the additions.
"It also gives our people a much needed physical, mental, emotional rest that they're currently not getting because the call volume is so high," Manning said.
WATCH: Newport News builds first new fire station in over a decade
Mayor Phillip Jones had previously expressed support for the proposal.
"We're really doubling down on public safety here in Newport News," Jones said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Click here to see how we use AI at WTKR News 3.
