(The Center Square) − New Orleans fire and ambulance services asked the City Council this week to shift more money into pay and overtime while trimming day-to-day operating lines.
The Fire Department requested a $135.3 million General Fund budget for 2026 – about $2.8 million above this year – with nearly all of it devoted to payroll. Personal services would climb to $133.3 million, while operating costs would fall to $2.05 million. The plan builds in $3.5 million for overtime and anticipated pension growth, partially offset by a hiring freeze and cuts to unclassified pay.
Outside the General Fund, the Fire Department seeks $6.93 million, up nearly $2.9 million, largely from federal grants, though some expiring awards would reduce other operating items.
The request heads to council deliberations before final adoption later this fall.
New Orleans Emergency Medical Services asked for $18.75 million from the General Fund, up $1.62 million. EMS would move dollars into pay to match current staffing and workload: personal services would rise from $11.72 million to $14.97 million, while operating costs would drop from $5.40 million to $3.78 million.
The plan sets aside $3.5 million for overtime next year and mirrors citywide trims to unclassified pay and savings from a classified-position hiring freeze. On the non-General Fund side, EMS seeks $2.54 million, a modest $50,000 increase driven by greater use of opioid-abatement dollars for operations; personnel funded outside the General Fund would remain flat at $246,314. Officials said the mix is meant to stabilize ambulance coverage without expanding other routine spending.
Eight budgets were heard Tuesday, all subject to revision. Broadly, departments are holding General Fund requests down through payroll restraint, hiring freezes and lower operating costs.
