In a move that officials stressed is not consolidation, Reno and Sparks city councils have unanimously voted to join their fire departments under one chief.

On Wednesday, Reno City Council approved an interlocal agreement that will have the city share Fire Chief Dave Cochran with the City of Sparks. Sparks City Council earlier in the week approved the interlocal agreement.

It does not merge the two departments, which have a combined 450 firefighters and administrative staff, officials emphasized.

"Could we possibly merge later on? Yes, in whole or in part," Cochran told the Reno City Council.

During the discussion leading up to the vote, Reno council members praised Cochran, local unions, the cities' staff, Sparks City Council and themselves for paving the way for what they called an "unprecedented pilot program."  

While the agreement is expected to save the City of Sparks money while adding funds to the City of Reno's coffers, the end goal is resident safety, not cost savings, Reno City Manager Jackie Bryant told The Nevada Independent after the vote.

"This might not produce a massive cost savings," she said. "It's about providing better service to the community."

The interlocal agreement is not Reno's first attempt at working with another fire agency.

In the early 2000s, the city and Truckee Meadows Fire Fire Protection District, which provides services to greater Washoe County, operated under a contract for service that had county firefighters in city uniforms and the county paying the city for services.

That effort, which also didn't rise to the level of consolidation, was intended to address sprawling growth and response times for services. The contract operated for more than a decade but ultimately devolved into lawsuits and a "divorce" between the two departments.

Longtime Reno City Councilmember Naomi Duerr, who joined the council around the time of the divorce, noted the previous failed effort was "so disheartening" that she's "incredibly proud of where the city is now."

After the vote, Cochran told The Indy the last effort didn't have the same level of partnership and that this venture is different because "everybody who would or could be affected was at the table."

How it will work

Sharing a chief is an opportunity to capitalize on the June 30 retirement of former Sparks Fire Chief Walt White and dip the cities' toes in the water for consolidation, Cochran said after the meeting.

Last year, legislation introduced by Sen. Skip Daly (D-Sparks) and Sen. Angie Taylor (D-Reno) required creation of a board to study the possibility of consolidating Sparks, Reno and Truckee Meadows fire departments into one entity.

That study is still underway.

"This is a great way to test the waters," Reno City Councilmember Meghan Ebert said of the joint operation under one chief.

Starting Monday, Cochran will report to both city managers. He will not receive any additional compensation for pulling double duty, but Sparks will reimburse Reno for 25 percent of Cochran's salary.

The initial agreement is for one year, during which Sparks estimates it will save $250,000 by not hiring a new chief and Reno estimates about $150,000 will be added to the city's coffers.

Those savings can be reinvested into firefighting operations as each city sees fit, Cochran said. Each city will still be responsible for managing its own department's budget.

"We don't know all the savings that are going to come through," Sparks Mayor Ed Lawson said after the vote.

The agreement could also lead to redeploying engines, relocating ambulances and providing automatic and mutual aid across district boundaries. The cities will also share fire investigation teams, mechanics and move toward a coordinated dispatch system and a single emergency response program.

"It takes certain courage to do what's never been done before," Cochran told Reno council members. "I think this is a great opportunity."