NAMPA — Joined by friends and family, Nampa Fire Fighters were celebrated on Monday night at their pinning ceremony. It was the most crew members to be pinned at one ceremony.
With the influx of people comes a need for public services and the department is trying to keep up.
"I think that leadership aligns with a new regime that's going to bring positivity. It's going to bring growth opportunity and I think that the morale at the Nampa Fire Department is going to change dramatically over the next several years just because Chief Carpenter and his team are very positive individuals," said Vicki White, spouse.
Nampa Fire Department Chief Kirk Carpenter says as the community continues to grow, there's an increasing need for more crew members and stations. Carpenter says since the department opened station five in 2007, the call volume has increased by more than 50 percent from about 6,000 to about 10,000 calls a year.
"We need the resources when you talk about that so everything in that station from the engine that needs to be bought to house in there. We're talking about cooperatively working with Canyon County paramedics," said Carpenter.
Carpenter says station six is in the works and there is need for a station numbers seven and eight, but those two may be further down the road.
"It really just determines on the next year of growth. We're seeing where their need is so that the data will point us to where the best location is for seven and eight," said Carpenter.
He says serving that need wouldn't be possible without new crew members and everyone who supports them.
"We get to thank these families for the time that they've sacrificed from everything from studying for these tests to get promoted to allowing them to be away whether it's on holidays or birthdays, this is kind of that ceremony where we get to celebrate those, those promotions," said Carpenter.
Carpenter says a station generally takes two years once plans are put into place. Planning is currently under way for station six.
