IAFF Local 64 asks Wyandotte County leaders to redirect existing public safety funds to staffing for the Kansas City, Kansas Fire Department, citing staffing shortfalls and recent injuries.
IAFF Local 64 urges the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and KCK to prioritize current public safety funding for firefighter staffing in the 2027 budget.
The union links staffing shortages—partly tied to a 2025 property tax revenue freeze—to four firefighter injuries and says crews are below minimum staffing and response-time standards.
A federal judge recently denied the union’s request to speak directly to elected officials about staffing due to state labor-law constraints, but the union says it remains undeterred.
— The union representing Kansas City, Kansas' firefighters has again publicly expressed concerns over how impending budget decisions made by local officials could affect public safety in the year ahead. "Local 64 isn't asking for more money to be added to the Fire Department's budget," according to that statement. "Paying more has gotten you less— the staffing on our streets has not been the priority, and the resources our firefighters need to keep you safe are not being provided," according to the union.
As county commissioners prepare to set the 2027 budget, that union, the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 64, is calling on the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and KCK to better allocate resources toward the Kansas City, Kansas Fire Department and make smarter staffing decisions. September 30, 2026 02:45 PM · Bill Carey ©2026 The Kansas City Star. Company News Firefighter Cancer Rescue Intellitech expands sales team with addition of two regional sales managers Chuck Evans and Nick Samp Join Company as Rescue Intellitech Accelerates Growth Across North America September 22, 2026 10:00 AM Fire Service Staffing Labor and Union Issues
Kansas City firefighters blame short staffing for the injuries to four firefighters.
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