Our Charge

Make a 10-year plan for fire service delivery to optimize safety of our community, the health and safety of our staff, and the efficiency of our resources.

Progress to Date

• Project defined, funds appropriated, contractor selected and under way

• General agreement among the Chiefs and Town Manager’s Office that the fire departments should be consolidated at some point in the future for the following reasons:

o Increased employee health and safety

o Administrative efficiency

o Long term fire protection for the community

• Initial discussions and ideas for a consolidated organizational structure

o The Chiefs have been developing initial ideas for the Fire Safety Planning Committee to consider

• Consistent Standard Operation Guidelines (SOPs and SOG)

o The Chiefs have already standardized some and have a schedule for working through all of them

• Fire Apparatus Planning

o The two Chiefs have agreed on their apparatus needs for the next ten years

• Data collection initiated

o Demographic and call demand data is being gathered

• Fire Service Planning Committee

o Currently soliciting public members of the Committee

Fire Service Planning Committee

• Charge

o To provide guidance and advice on the development of a 10-year Fire Service Delivery Plan. The group will help design the process and will be central in crafting a recommendation for the Board of Selectmen.

• Members

o 2 Fire Chiefs

o 2 Call Group Reps

o 2 Union Reps

o 1 Assistant Town Manager

o 1 Ambulance Chief

o 1 Dispatch representative

o 5 members of the public, representing divers characteristics

• Guidelines

o There will be no Committee Chair but rather the Facilitator will work for the Committee as a whole.

o The Committee expects to meet 4-6 times and be done with its work by May 1, 2021.

o The Assistant Town Manager will provide administrative and scheduling support to the Committee, and maintain documentation of our work including a public website.

o The committee will strive to make decisions by consensus characterized by (1) considering all points of view, (2) trying to accommodate key concerns, and (3) no one opposed. Yet if the facilitator believes that consensus cannot be reached within a reasonable amount of time on any issue, than the facilitator may call for a vote and the majority will decide.

o The Committee may establish workgroups or commission studies on specific topics as needed.

o The Assistant Town Manager and Facilitator will work together to finalize a written plan that reflects the Committee’s work.

o The plan will be reviewed by the Town Manager and then moved forward for final approval by the Board of Selectmen.

o The approved plan will be made available to the public.

Schedule

April-October, 2021 Getting Started

October-December, 2021 Committee Meetings

January-February, 2022 Public Input

February-March, 2022 Committee Meetings

April-May, 2022 Report with Recommendations

The noted schedule is subject to amendment/change should more data/input be deemed necessary.

Initial Ideas for Report Contents

We are thinking that our report to the Board of Selectmen next Spring address the following:

• Current Conditions

• Future Forecasts

• Improved Coordination

• Organizational Structure

• Apparatus Replacement

• Station Location

• Staffing

• Ambulance Service