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Fire chief requests $4.74 million for FY26; $450,000 sought to replace aging SCBA units
Summary
Chief Bassett presented a $4,735,578 FY26 operating request (a 2.85% increase) and a capital ask that includes $450,000 to replace self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) for the department’s roughly 40 units. The town officials discussed a potential FEMA grant that could substantially offset the purchase.
New Canaan Fire Chief Bassett presented the fire department’s fiscal 2026 budget request on March 27, seeking $4,735,578 in operating funds — a 2.85% increase from the prior year, an increase the chief said is driven primarily by salary and overtime projections.
Bassett told the council the department ran about 1,200 calls in the prior year, with roughly half classified as fire alarms; last year’s fire‑related property loss was about $600,000, the chief said, and there were no major total‑loss incidents. He described progress on volunteer training and local preplanning work using preplanning software to help on‑route responses.
On capital, the chief listed a $47,500 replacement request for protective clothing and a $450,000 bonded request to replace the department’s self‑contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Bassett said the department has about 40 SCBA packs (plus spare cylinders) and that units are at or near the end of their 15–20 year service life. He told the council that a pending FEMA grant could, if awarded, reduce the town’s share to roughly 25% of the $450,000 cost.
Bassett also described a move to plan for future ladder truck and tanker replacement or refurbishment in 2028–2029 and said officials will evaluate whether refurbishment or replacement is more cost‑effective. He said new apparatus size changes are a design factor to consider because larger new apparatus may not fit existing bays.
Council members asked about life expectancy of breathing apparatus, possible grant timing and the department’s contingency plans. Bassett said the department has applied for federal grant funding for SCBA replacement and will seek to test new units this spring.
The chief closed by thanking volunteers and career staff and fielding procedural questions about capital timing and vehicle fit for the firehouse.
