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Burlington Fire Department warns FY26 budget needs cover lost one-time funds, rising supply and staffing costs
Summary
At a Burlington Board of Finance meeting, Fire Chief LaChance outlined a FY26 request driven by the loss of one-time ARPA funds, rising medical and equipment costs, and expected contract pay increases; department leaders described steady call volume, new community health work and measures to limit overtime.
The Burlington Board of Finance heard a presentation May 14 from Fire Chief LaChance on the department’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, which the chief said must replace one-time federal funding and cover rising supply and labor costs.
LaChance told the board the department handled just under 11,000 calls in the past year — including about 1,592 fire responses (67 structural fires), roughly 7,100 emergency medical responses and about 2,200 other responses — and that call volume has trended up in prior years before leveling recently. He said staffing is the department’s principal cost and that 93% of the budget is personnel-related.
The department’s FY26 “new money” request includes $2,223,000, LaChance said, noting one driver is the loss of roughly $1.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds the department had used in prior years. He said ambulance billing and other fees help the budget but have limits: about 80% of transported patients are covered by…
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