Summary
A dispute over how to measure emergency response times unfolded at the Aug. 20 meeting after the fire chief amended previously presented 2024 response numbers to use a different alarm-start time. The town’s public-safety leaders and a fire‑marshal audit both weighed in; the commission was given a memo and an expert note about NFIRS measurement
A technical disagreement over how to report emergency response times prompted public explanation and an expert letter during the Aug. 20 town commission meeting.
Background: Fire Chief Gavin Brown presented 2024 incident response-time data at a prior meeting using what he described as the time the 911 call was answered as his “alarm time.” After commissioners requested clarification, the chief provided an amended table that also showed the time the call was received by the town’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and added a memo from the town’s fire marshal auditing the revised dataset.
What the dispute covered: The central question was where the clock should start for “total response time.” The U.S. Fire Administration and National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) note that total response time is commonly measured from the time the call is received by the emergency communications center to the arrival of the first apparatus. Chief Brown said he had chosen to show the 911‑answer time because that better reflected the time the public expects — when they dial 911 — and because some calls are initiated automatically (alarm systems) and not by a caller.
Town manager and others raised concerns: Town staff and other presenters said the department must accurately report the official time submitted to the state for NFIRS reporting and that changes to the state‑reported times require formal change forms and justification. The chief said he adjusted 38 of 50 incidents in his public presentation to reflect the broader “clock” (911 answered), while the reports the town files with the state use the PSAP alarm time. A fire‑marshal who reviewed the amended times provided a memo arguing for transparency in showing both measures.
Public and staff reaction: Commissioners asked staff for clear documentation of what was reported to the state, and the chief closed his public explanation by noting he had included supporting expert material with his presentation. The commission received both the chief’s amended figures and the fire marshal’s audit for review. No disciplinary or policy action was taken during the meeting; commissioners requested the audit documentation be added to the packet and asked the town clerk to confirm whether the state NFIRS records had been formally amended.
Why it matters: Response-time definitions affect public expectations, performance measurement, and how the town presents emergency‑service metrics to residents. The commission signaled that the town should present transparent, documented data and that any changes to official reporting should follow state procedures.
