06. Staff Report-Fire Dept 2025 Hiring
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: June, 4th 2025
To: City Council
From: Mike Hinz, Fire Chief
Re: Approval to Hire 3 new members
Background:
Scandia fire department currently has a roster of 27 employees. Our goal personnel number is 30, this number
was derived from the fact that we are a paid on call department and not every employee is available all the time.
A medical response call requires 4 personnel, a motor vehicle accident requires 11 personnel on average and a
structure or wildland fire requires at least 16 personnel for the initial response, but will use 30-40 personnel by
the time the fire is extinguished.
For this reason, we have requested to hire up to 5 personnel every year, until we can reach our goal of 30 active
members.
This year we did receive 10 applications, but after review of the applications 2 were beyond the 8 minute
response time, 1 did not respond to setup a time to interview and 2 did not meet the 13 minute time to complete
the physical agility test. The remaining 5 were scored using our 100 point system based on experience, distance,
physical test, availability and interview responses.
Issue:
Should the council approve hiring 3 new members?
Proposal Details:
Scandia Fire and Rescue would like to hire 3 applicants; Bryce Lindahl, Pam Mrozik and Michael Stearns
conditional on passing Pre-Placement Medical Exam and a Criminal background check. We would also have
Ryan Zahn and Jashua Regan put on a 1 year eligibility list. These 5 applicants have completed & passed the
interview process and agility test at the fire station. The 2 applicant on the eligibility list can be called upon if
there is an opening before our next hiring cycle.
Fiscal Impact:
The fiscal impact will be less this year as 2 for the candidates already have EMT & FF2. An estimated cost per
year of $5,000 per person for paid on call hours and standard training with an additional $1,600 for classes that
the 1 firefighter will need to attend each year for the first 2 years. The annual wage cost and training class was
estimated for this year
Options:
(1) Approve the conditional hiring of Bryce Lindahl, Pam Mrozik and Michael Stearns and approve placing
Ryan Zahn and Jashua Regan on the eligibility list for 1 year.
(2) Approve conditional hiring of some of the candidates
(3) Not approve hiring of any personnel
Recommendation:
Option (1).