TAMPA, Fla. — As Tampa continues to see its population boom, some city leaders and first responders are concerned that current public safety resources can’t keep up with the growth.

Three years ago, Tampa City Council proposed a Public Safety Master Plan to get a better look at where there are shortfalls in police and fire rescue, and how much it will cost to fix.

On Thursday, Tampa Fire Rescue is set to lay out some of its needs and a plan to match the city’s growth.

What You Need To Know

  • Tampa Fire Rescue to provide a plan to keep up with the city's growth during Thursday's city council meeting

  • Three years ago, Tampa City Council proposed a Public Safety Master Plan to get a better look at where there are shortfalls in police and fire resources

  • During a March council meeting, the Tampa Fire Union said the city's fire department is understaffed and needs new equipment

  • City leaders say it's critical to make sure enough funding goes towards public safety resources

Councilman Luis Viera has been pushing for a public safety master plan for the past few years and said it’s about being proactive, rather than reactive.

“We could all be a victim of a crime,” Viera said. “We could all have an emergency that requires Fire. The vast majority of us support our police officers, our firefighters, we want the best for them. That is in our hands as the city and I think that we need to have that comprehensive plan to show what is it that we need to do.”

City council last addressed the public safety master plan at its meeting in March. During that meeting, the Tampa Fire Union said the city’s fire department is understaffed and needs new equipment. Thursday’s report from the department will look at the number and age of fire stations, response times and the citizen-to-firefighter ratio.

Councilman Viera said with Tampa’s booming population, it’s important to make sure city leaders are making the right investments to support public safety needs.

“We’re a growing city and as we grow, we need to know what our challenges are because of that growth,” he said. “We see those challenges when it comes to infrastructure, when it comes to mobility and transportation. But No. 1 is public safety. That is — as everybody knows — life and death.”

Tampa Fire Chief Barbara Tripp is expected to present the department’s plan during Thursday’s city council meeting, which starts at 9 a.m.