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Fire chief warns of 24 vacancies, high overtime and injury-driven staffing pressures
Summary
The fire department reported 21,556 calls in 2024, 24 vacancies now, and sustained overtime driven by injuries, retirements and academy attrition; leadership plans a 20-person academy to catch up.
Fire Commissioner BJ Calvi (referred to in the hearing as BJ Calvi/Gowdy) and department leaders told the budget hearing the department answered 21,556 calls in 2024 and is operating with significant staffing shortfalls and overtime driven chiefly by injuries and retirements.
"We answered 21,556 calls for service last year," the commissioner said, and noted the department is "minus 24" uniform positions at the time of the hearing. That shortage, combined with injured-on-duty (IOD) absences and a wave of retirements and military leaves, has driven…
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