Effective March 16, all part-time Pullman firefighter positions will be terminated as part of the city’s budget cuts.

Pullman Firefighters Union Local 1892 announced the position terminations and their effects in a series of Facebook posts Friday.

“The City has notified the Part-Time firefighters that due to its current financial position, effective March 16, 2026, all Part-Time (Reserve) Firefighters will have their hours reduced to zero, with no defined end date,” the Union said.

The duties of part-time firefighters, including responding to calls, assisting at major incidents and supporting special events, will now be the sole responsibility of Pullman Fire Department’s career firefighters.

In a Facebook post, the Union bullet-pointed the operational impacts the cutbacks will bring, listed below:

• Daily staffing remains at the minimum level of eight career firefighters.
• Fewer personnel available during initial emergency response.
• Increased operational strain during large or complex incidents. 
• Further deviation from NFPA 1710 staffing and response benchmarks. 

The National Fire Protection Association’s 1710 standard recommends a career fire department serving an urban area the size of Pullman should be able to assign a crew of 15–17 firefighters to a structure fire, arriving within eight minutes — a goal that will not be possible for Pullman Fire moving forward.

“With our current staffing model, we are not close to meeting that benchmark without significant mutual aid support,” the Union said.

Each day, the Pullman Fire Department staffs one engine and one ambulance at the city’s two fire stations, with each response vehicle staffed by two department personnel.

The Union said this decision was made by the city, not the Pullman Fire Department.

“This action reflects budgetary constraints identified by the City and is not a reflection of the professionalism, performance, or value of the Part-Time Firefighters,” the Union said.

The department ended the statement by affirming its commitment to community safety, regardless of budget or staffing constraints.

“Pullman Firefighters remain committed to professional emergency response, transparency with the community, and advocating for staffing levels that protect public safety. Additional updates will be shared as information becomes available,” the Union said.

Although the Union has made no formal comment expressing an opinion on the city’s decision, its message was clear: it will not be capable of expected response efficiency under current constraints.

“Adequate staffing is directly tied to response times, firefighter safety, and the level of service our residents and students receive,” the department said. “We appreciate the continued support of the Pullman community.”

No official statement has been made by the Pullman Fire Department or Chief Ryan Schornhorst. 

Part-time firefighters will be required to turn in their gear by March 15, with no defined end date to the suspension.