Conway’s fire chief reported operational accomplishments and long-term needs at the state‑of‑the‑city briefing, citing sustained high call volumes, delayed apparatus delivery timelines and substantial capital needs.

Chief Mike Winner said the department maintained a Class 1 ISO public‑protection rating after its most recent reevaluation, and described the medic training program that produces city paramedics. He told the council call volume increased about 65% from 2019 to 2024 and that 70–75% of calls in 2024 were medical in nature.

Chief Winner and the mayor discussed apparatus ordering and lead times: the mayor had earlier told the council that engines cost about $1 million and aerial apparatus roughly $1.5 million. Chief Winner said vehicles ordered in 2021 are still pending and that lead times for engines are typically three to four years with trucks four to five years. The chief presented department estimates that replacing radios, self‑contained breathing apparatus (SCBAs) and apparatus could total roughly $9.5 million at current prices; he also said grant applications are pending for radios and that SCBAs will need replacement within about four years.

On emergency medical services, chief and mayor said the department’s long‑term goal is to provide municipal ambulance service rather than rely exclusively on the current private provider (Pafford). They discussed up‑front capital needs to stand up city ambulance service and said studies done in prior decades indicated the program could be revenue‑positive after several years; chief Winner said city provision of ambulance service is a stated department objective and that further study and budgeting would be required.

Chief Winner identified stationing and response‑time implications tied to growth in southwest Conway and said the department needs a funding source to amortize capital purchases and reduce dependence on aging apparatus.