What form it takes and how quickly changes might occur is far from clear.
For the last 35 years, county commissioners have tried unsuccessfully to address the needs of rural fire districts across Reno County.
The overwhelming theme — shown in a comprehensive report — is that central management by a professional fire chief could solve many of the pressing issues each station faces. Existing fire chiefs could manage the specific needs of individual districts while rolling out uniform policies and training.
Last year, Emergency Management Director Adam Weishaar noted how many rural fire districts were looking to build new fire stations. The construction would cost millions, but there was no clear plan for future fire operations.