Raleigh Fire Department logged 117,670 overtime hours in FY2025 with no new firefighter positions since 2014; a council member asked for a staffing review, and the FY2027 budget later added 12 positions

A WRAL investigation found Raleigh Fire Department employees worked 117,670.70 overtime hours in fiscal year 2025, costing the city $4,839,635.19, up from 87,245 hours in FY2024, with no new fire positions added since 2014 despite the city's growth. The president of the Raleigh Professional Firefighters Association, Andrew Davis, said understaffing has caused burnout.