Wichita's new fire chief said improving response times will require a public conversation about how much risk the city can accept.

Michael Mire took the oath of office Sept. 1 during the Wichita City Council meeting at City Hall. He told KSN afterward that improving response times and elevating the Wichita Fire Department to the premier agency in the state are his top priorities.

"That's going to be a quite intensive conversation, and everyone's going to be a part of that conversation because it's going to come down to how much risk the public wants to bite off and how much investment we can get into the department to reduce those response times," Mire said.

He did not give a timeline for when that public dialogue would begin.

Mire, a nearly 30-year veteran of the Houston Fire Department, took command of the Wichita Fire Department on Aug. 24. City Manager Dennis Marstall appointed him following a national search, according to a city press release in July. Mire most recently served as an assistant fire chief in Houston, overseeing the Emergency Response Command.

He replaced Tammy Snow, who retired Aug. 21 after 38 years with the department. Snow was the first woman to lead the Wichita Fire Department since its founding in 1886, according to KWCH.

Mire is WFD's 15th chief. He oversees 22 fire stations and a staff of about 497 employees.

Response times in focus

The emphasis on response times comes as the department faces documented gaps in coverage. The Wichita Eagle reported that 37% of the city's geographical area cannot be reached by firefighters within four minutes, the national standard. A 2022 internal study found the department needs 11 new stations.

An Aug. 10 house fire in southwest Wichita that killed two people drew response times between six minutes 56 seconds and seven minutes 34 seconds, according to city records cited by the Eagle.

Wichita voters defeated a sales tax proposal in March that would have funded new fire stations, the Eagle reported.

Construction on Fire Station 23, near Pawnee and Maize, began Aug. 20 after the City Council approved just under $5.25 million for the project in March, KSN reported. It will be the city's first new station since 2009 and is expected to open in late 2027.

Early impressions

In his first week, Mire said he worked alongside firefighters on emergency calls. He described the department as functional and its staff as dedicated, telling KSN he found "passionate firefighters, people who are willing to go to work, pull people out alive and protect property."

IAFF Local 135 President Ted Bush pointed to the leadership change as an opening. At the Station 23 groundbreaking on Aug. 20, Bush said the city "has a real opportunity to shift its priorities & earn trust" with a new fire chief in place.

The Wichita Police Department said on X on Sept. 1 that Police Chief Joe Sullivan and Mire have already begun meeting to strengthen the partnership between the two departments.