Norwood fire, police chiefs report higher call volumes, new grants and ambulance funding submission
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Summary
Fire Chief Tim Bailey and Police Chief Chris Patton told the Board of Selectmen on Oct. 14 that emergency calls and mutual‑aid exchanges are up this year; the fire department submitted a Medicaid CPE application and the police department received traffic and equipment grants.
Fire Chief Tim Bailey and Police Chief Chris Patton updated the Norwood Board of Selectmen on Oct. 14 about recent public‑safety activity, funding and staffing.
Bailey said the fire department has handled 5,762 emergency calls year‑to‑date (about 20.1 per day), an increase of roughly 250 runs compared with the same period last year. He reported 10,865 total calls for service and noted mutual‑aid activity of 719 instances this year (526 received and 193 given). The department submitted an ambulance Certified Public Expenditure (CPE) application — a Medicaid funding mechanism that can allow public ambulance providers to recover supplemental federal Medicaid match funds — and Bailey said staff work on that submission was intensive and has been turned in ahead of the deadline.
Bailey also said station apparatus‑bay floor renovation was completed that morning, the poles were back in service and crews were able to return equipment inside the station. The department is working on regional communications site antenna placement and related HVAC work; one antenna site is still outstanding.
Patton reported the police department secured a $15,000 traffic enforcement grant for focused patrols (hands‑free, pedestrian enforcement and similar priorities) and a $20,000 Edward Bridal memorial grant to buy equipment without tapping the capital budget. In partnership with the Department of Public Works, the police obtained a grant to purchase portable vehicle‑stopping barriers for events; DPW will own and operate that equipment.
Patton said the department completed a strategic‑plan process and aims to publish the plan in November. He reported two lateral hires currently in field training that should bring the force to full staffing levels, and he described recently closed investigations including a nine‑count fentanyl trafficking case. Year‑to‑date, arrests were up about 34, citations were up 702 and accidents were up 39 compared with the same period last year.
Ending: Both chiefs told the board they will follow up with staff on ongoing projects — the CPE submission, communications antenna work and capital equipment purchases — and they invited board questions. The board thanked both departments for recent work.
