Cypress-Fairbanks (Cy-Fair), a suburb of Houston, Texas, is one of the state’s fastest-growing. Between 2015 and 2020, rapid development brought an influx of residents—and a growing demand for emergency services. Now, the Cy-Fair Fire Department is expanding to meet the needs of the booming population. By 2019, call volume had skyrocketed to 40,000 a year, and the all-volunteer fire department couldn’t keep up. Recognizing the need for change, the Harris County Emergency Services District 9 board of commissioners – the governing body of the Cy-Fair Fire Department – and fire fighters began exploring solutions. The two groups made a plan to convert into an all-career fire department in order to provide adequate service to the community. In 2021, fire fighters formed Cy-Fair Local 5248 to ensure they had a seat at the table as expansion plans moved forward.
