Fire Departments In Des Moines, Altoona To Share Services

DES MOINES, IA — Growth in the northeastern part of Des Moines and the western side of Altoona has led the two communities to collaborate on shared services within their fire departments. A formal agreement should have the cities working together beginning next month, with plans to look toward joint operation of a future fire station, Des Moines officials announced.

The partnership will improve fire and EMS service in the area where the cities merge, officials in the communities have said. Growth in Des Moines has included a number of apartment complexes and new homes, while Altoona is seeing commercial and residential growth.

Officials with both communities began meeting in October to discuss shared services with an eye toward reducing response times and better serving people who lives and work in those areas. They are "formulating a system for providing services that will progress from formal mutual aid, initially, to common operations in the future through a new fire station," a Des Moines news release said.

The partnership will mark the first time the city of Des Moines fire department has shared services with another jurisdiction.

“It is this type of effort that continues us on the path of being a high performing city organization where we are providing neighborhoods the services they need while providing fire fighters the resources they need to
operate safely," Des Moines City Manager Scott Sanders said.

ltoona City Administrator Jeff Mark agrees. “This is a win-win for our collective citizens and businesses as well as the men and women who provide these critical services," he said.

“The Des Moines Fire Department hasn't worked specifically with another community, but we haven't had this identifiable and joint need before,” Des Moines Fire Chief John TeKippe told KCCI-TV. “That makes this a little new.”

City leaders anticipate construction of a joint fire station in northeast Des Moines and they hope to provide a proposal to their respective city councils for the coming budget planning year. The Des Moines announcement said staff in both cities will continue to meet "to develop solutions for inter-operable radio communications, establish procedures on joint fire ground operations, and conduct interdepartmental training events to increase the confidence and competence of firefighters from both organizations before we work together at a fire or medical emergency."

Photo via Des Moines Fire Department