5 Critical Ways The City Of North Las Vegas Fire Department Is Transforming Public Safety In 2025
The City of North Las Vegas Fire Department (CNLVFD) is undergoing a significant transformation in its mission to enhance public safety across Southern Nevada, driven by a new strategic vision and a commitment to modern emergency services. As of December 22, 2025, the department is actively implementing key initiatives from the North Las Vegas Strategic Plan 2025-2030, marking a new era of growth, innovation, and community focus. These efforts are not just about responding to emergencies; they represent a proactive approach to fire suppression, advanced life support (ALS) services, and community engagement, ensuring the rapidly growing population of North Las Vegas receives world-class protection.
This deep dive into the CNLVFD reveals the critical, recent developments that are shaping the future of the department, from welcoming a fresh cohort of firefighters to engaging in unique international partnerships. The department’s status as an all-hazards agency means its personnel are highly trained to handle everything from structural fires and complex medical emergencies to specialized technical rescue operations, making it one of the most dynamic fire agencies in Clark County.
The Leader: Fire Chief Joseph Calhoun and CNLVFD Profile
The operational and strategic direction of the North Las Vegas Fire Department is led by a veteran in the emergency services field. Fire Chief Joseph Calhoun has steered the department toward its current path of expansion and innovation, focusing on a culture of vigilance, bravery, and preparedness. His leadership is central to the goals outlined in the city's newly adopted strategic plan.
- Full Name: Joseph D. Calhoun
- Current Role: Fire Chief, City of North Las Vegas Fire Department (CNLVFD)
- Appointment Year: Assumed the role of Fire Chief around 2019.
- Career Background: Chief Calhoun is a seasoned veteran firefighter. Before coming to Nevada, he held a leadership position as a veteran of the Portage Fire Department in Indiana.
- Leadership Focus: Advocates for the CNLVFD to be a leader in emergency services and a diverse team that provides quality fire and life safety services through proactive and innovative methods.
- Department Size: The CNLVFD is a career department with a dedicated staff of firefighters and paramedics.
- Core Mission: To advance the City of North Las Vegas vision by providing dedicated emergency and community services.
Under Chief Calhoun’s direction, the department operates out of eight strategically located fire stations, with operations personnel divided into two battalions and three platoons (A, B, and C Platoon). This structured system ensures 24-hour emergency response coverage across the entire municipality.
1. The 2025 Surge in Recruitment and Public Safety Expansion
One of the most immediate and impactful changes in 2025 is the successful expansion of the firefighting force. This effort is a direct result of the city’s commitment to its residents under the new strategic framework.
Welcoming Fire Recruit Academy Class 2025-1
In September 2025, the CNLVFD celebrated the graduation of 11 new firefighters from Fire Recruit Academy class 2025-1. This influx of personnel is crucial for meeting the demands of a rapidly growing city and maintaining low response times. Each new recruit is a highly trained professional ready to be deployed across the city's network of stations, reinforcing the department's ability to deliver Advanced Life Support (ALS) and fire suppression services simultaneously.
The addition of these firefighters directly aligns with the broader goal of enhancing public safety, a key pillar of the North Las Vegas Strategic Plan 2025-2030. This strategic reinforcement allows the CNLVFD to maintain optimal staffing levels, which is vital for both firefighter safety and community protection. The city's focus on recruitment and retention is a long-term strategy to ensure the department remains fully staffed with the best talent.
2. Global Outreach: The Bomberos Latinos Partnership
The CNLVFD’s commitment extends beyond the borders of Southern Nevada, showcasing a unique and impactful community initiative in late 2025. This move highlights the department’s dedication to resourcefulness and international solidarity.
In November 2025, the North Las Vegas Fire Department partnered with Bomberos Latinos to donate a significant amount of retired firefighting equipment. This initiative serves multiple purposes:
- Resource Management: It ensures that valuable, yet retired, equipment from the CNLVFD Apparatus Roster is put to good use instead of being decommissioned.
- Global Support: The donation provides essential tools and gear to communities in Latin America, where resources for emergency services are often scarce.
- Community Building: This partnership strengthens cultural ties and demonstrates the CNLVFD’s role as a global citizen, fostering goodwill and professional relationships with international firefighting organizations.
The donated equipment, which may include breathing apparatus, turnout gear, and specialized tools, is critical for the safety and effectiveness of firefighters in recipient countries, providing a significant boost to their operational capabilities.
3. Strategic Plan 2025-2030: The Blueprint for Future Excellence
The newly adopted North Las Vegas Strategic Plan 2025-2030 is the roadmap for the department's next half-decade. It outlines a clear vision for growth, innovation, and community well-being, directly influencing the CNLVFD's operational and capital improvement goals.
Focus on Advanced Capabilities and Specialty Teams
As an all-hazards department, the CNLVFD must be prepared for any event. The Strategic Plan emphasizes continuous investment in specialized resources. The department already maintains a sophisticated Apparatus Roster, which includes multiple ALS Engines, Ladder Trucks, and Rescue Units.
A key focus is on Technical Rescue capabilities. Units like Tech Rescue 52 and Air 52 are essential for complex operations such as high-angle rescues, confined space incidents, and trench collapses. The plan ensures that training, equipment upgrades, and staffing for these specialty teams remain a priority, protecting residents from a wide range of unique hazards found in the modern urban environment.
Furthermore, the department’s high-level Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are a cornerstone of its function. With a high volume of calls being medical in nature, the CNLVFD's commitment to the ALS standard, utilizing highly trained firefighter-paramedics, is paramount to saving lives.
4. Community-Centric Services and Public Education
Beyond emergency response, a core tenet of the CNLVFD’s mission is proactive community engagement and education. This preventative approach is critical to reducing incidents and building a resilient community.
The department actively runs various Public Education programs, including offering guest speakers for schools, businesses, and civic organizations. These programs cover vital topics such as fire prevention, smoke alarm maintenance, and emergency preparedness. By empowering residents with knowledge, the CNLVFD works to decrease the overall risk of fire and injury across North Las Vegas.
The CNLVFD has also been successful in securing federal funding, such as the Department of Homeland Security Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG), to support its operational needs and safety initiatives. This grant funding is often used for purchasing new equipment, improving training, and implementing health and wellness programs for firefighters.
5. Operational Excellence: The Backbone of Emergency Response
The daily operations of the CNLVFD are a testament to its commitment to excellence. The department headquarters at 4040 Losee Road serves as the nerve center for coordinating all emergency activities.
The eight fire stations—including key locations like Fire Station 50 on East Cheyenne Avenue and Fire Station 52 on Losee Road—are strategically placed to ensure optimal coverage. The operational structure, utilizing two battalions and the A, B, C platoon rotation, ensures a consistent and highly coordinated response regardless of the time or day.
The CNLVFD remains a vital and forward-thinking agency, continually adapting its strategy and resources to meet the evolving needs of North Las Vegas. The recent hiring surge, the international outreach efforts, and the clear goals set forth in the Strategic Plan 2025-2030 all point to a department dedicated to being a leader in emergency services for years to come.
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