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Fire chief seeks staffing gains, station replacements and improved agility testing in FY26 plan
Summary
Fire Chief Chris Anderson proposed a FY26 budget increase focused on personnel (including 25 firefighter‑medic hires begun in FY25), station replacements, fire apparatus replacement and reintroduction of validated physical‑agility testing.
Hanover Fire‑EMS Chief Chris Anderson presented the department’s FY26 request on Feb. 26, outlining staffing increases implemented late in FY25, a multi‑year station‑replacement plan and investments in training and firefighter safety.
Anderson said the department now operates 17 stations with roughly 250 career members and a volunteer force that remains smaller than in prior decades. To reduce reliance on cross‑staffing and to address coverage gaps, the county funded 25 firefighter‑medic positions that started in October; those hires are expected to be operational by July 2025. Anderson said the FY26 budget requests additional part‑time ambulance funding to cover peak periods and expand the program in areas that lack volunteer availability.
Capital needs include multiple station replacements (Doswell, Montpelier, Chickahominy) and continued apparatus replacement; Anderson said delivery lead times for fire apparatus still average multiple years and logistics is pursuing stock units to shorten that lag. The Laurel Meadows Station 17 replacement is expected to open in April.
Why it matters: Anderson said higher‑risk incidents — for example large structure fires and technical rescue incidents — require substantially more personnel; a residential working fire can require 21 responders while a large commercial incident can require more than 50. The budget seeks to improve minimum daily staffing and reduce cross‑staffing that draws personnel from neighboring stations.
Other highlights - Reintroduction of standardized, validated physical‑agility testing to reduce injury risk and strengthen training outcomes. - Funding for firefighter personal protective equipment replacements, mobile data computers, and continued investment in employee development and paramedic training. - FY26 proposed total increase about 9.8 percent, driven chiefly by salaries and benefits (approx. 82 percent of the department budget).
Board reaction: supervisors praised the department’s recruitment and the decision to accelerate hires and station investments. Supervisors noted the public safety balance between capital costs and long‑term service quality.
Ending: Anderson closed by thanking department staff and county leadership and asked for the board’s support for the FY26 request.
