# Leon County Weighs Fire Department Options

Leon County is considering renewed negotiations with the City of Tallahassee over fire services while preparing for the possibility of establishing a county-run department. Consultants estimate the county-run option could cost **$30.1 million** with city cooperation or about **$95 million** without it. The county commission is scheduled to discuss the recommendations on October 20, 2026; negotiations could begin November 17, and the county’s deadline to resolve the service arrangement or develop its own department is September 30, 2028.

- No open solicitation is identified. The decision could create future requirements for staffing, fire stations and equipment, automatic aid, and potentially the transfer of city assets.
- Fire-service contractors and suppliers can use the cost scenarios to assess whether they could support a county-operated model, while recognizing that the county may instead reach an agreement with the city.
- Organizations interested in future work should distinguish near-term planning from an actual procurement: the signal identifies no current bid opportunity or solicitation.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Public Safety
**Topics:** Emergency Response
**Published:** October 16, 2026

### Government Entities
- Leon County
- City of Tallahassee
- Tallahassee Fire Department (TFD)

### Vendors
- Fitch & Associates (awardee)
- Benesch Public Finance Practice (awardee)

### Sources
- [Fire fee fight: Consultants tell county to negotiate or spend up to $95M  | Coral Springs News](https://www.coralspringsflnews.com/news/article317647328.html) - Coral Springs News