06/14/2026
Last November, Conway voters approved a public safety tax after being told that while the revenue could not be directly used for firefighter pay and staffing, it would free up general fund dollars that could be used to address those needs.
The firefighters of Conway were grateful for the community's support. We expressed our hope that the additional funding would help address long-standing concerns regarding staffing levels, recruitment, retention, and competitive compensation.
The approval of additional positions and planned apparatus purchases are positive developments. However, the underlying challenges of recruiting, retaining, and compensating firefighters at a competitive level continue to impact the department.
Our department continues to face staffing challenges. Open positions remain difficult to fill. Recent hiring efforts illustrate the challenge. Of approximately 25 candidates placed on the most recent eligibility list, 11 were initially contacted to complete hiring packets. Of those 11 candidates, only eight returned their packets and moved forward to the interview process, requiring additional candidates to be contacted in order to fill the initial interview pool. These challenges reflect the increasingly competitive environment for firefighter recruitment and the difficulty we face in attracting qualified applicants.
Experienced firefighters continue to leave for neighboring departments offering more competitive pay, and the list of qualified candidates available to promote into leadership positions has become increasingly limited. In fact, we currently have no remaining candidates on the Captain's eligibility list. If additional retirements or vacancies occur, there are no immediate candidates available to fill those leadership positions.
The department is also seeing experienced firefighters choose retirement sooner than expected. For many, retirement provides a guaranteed annual 3% cost-of-living adjustment that exceeds the pay growth currently available to active employees. The loss of experienced personnel creates additional challenges for staffing, training, and leadership development. While new hires are welcomed and appreciated, it takes months of training before they can serve independently on emergency scenes.
This is not simply an employee issue, it is a public safety issue. Adequate staffing and competitive compensation are essential to maintaining the level of service that Conway citizens expect and deserve. Recruiting and retaining experienced firefighters directly impacts response capability, firefighter safety, and the protection of lives and property.
We remain committed to serving this community with professionalism and dedication every day. We are also committed to advocating for the resources necessary to ensure the Conway Fire Department can continue to meet the growing demands of one of Arkansas's fastest growing cities.
We appreciate the support our citizens have consistently shown us and will continue working toward solutions that strengthen public safety for everyone who calls Conway home.
