Council hears K2M study recommending a 24-hour engine company and phased station repairs; agrees to advertise daytime hires

Vaughn Miller, a consultant with K2M, told Hudson City Council on Feb. 18 the firm’s fire and EMS staffing and facility needs study recommends establishing an engine company staffed with four firefighters available in the station 24 hours a day and the duty chief available to respond. The recommendation is driven by the OSHA “2-in, 2-out” safety standard the consultant cited for interior fire attack.

Miller said meeting that safety standard “to completely meet the standard to fight a residential fire takes 17 people,” and offered options that include a four-person engine company plus the duty chief, assembling a company from available daytime staff, or operating a three-person company (which he described as “below the standard”). He also described a multi-phase set of facility improvements if the city keeps crews at the existing station long term:…