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East Bethel fire budget rises 7% as city plans to recruit paid-on-call firefighters and replace turnout gear
Summary
The fire department presented a proposed 2026 budget increase of about 7% ($73,000), citing wage increases, recruitment of paid-on-call personnel, and phased replacement of turnout gear as primary drivers.
The East Bethel Fire Department told the council July 14 that its proposed 2026 budget would increase about 7% (roughly $73,000), driven primarily by wages, recruitment of paid-on-call personnel and planned equipment replacement, including turnout gear.
Jeff Siloka, identified in the meeting as the fire chief, said the department currently has 28 firefighters and has about seven candidates in the recruitment/background pipeline; the 2026 budget was built assuming a paid-on-call roster of up to 40 personnel. "We are also in the process of adding, numerous personnel. We currently have 7 that are in the pipeline for background checks," Siloka said.
Siloka told council members the department expects increased pension contributions tied to the number of paid-on-call firefighters: the fire pension line item would rise from about $14,000 to $16,000 because the calculation uses a per-firefighter factor historically set at $400 per paid-on-call firefighter. He said turnout gear replacements are a major near-term cost; staff cited an estimated cost of about $3,200 per turnout set (coat and pants), not including helmets, boots and other accessories, and said the department plans to phase replacements over several years rather than replace all sets at once.
Siloka also said the department plans to emphasize training (including emergency-management-related training and the city Emergency Operations Plan), and that some training costs may be partially reimbursed through state programs. He said turnout gear purchased in about 2020 will begin to age out by about 2030 and that the department previously purchased second sets during COVID, which affects replacement timing.
Why it matters: public-safety staffing and equipment cycles affect both service capacity and the city budget. Council members asked detailed questions about replacement timing, recruitment targets and how the department forecasts paid-on-call payroll based on call volume.
Ending: The presentation was informational; councilors did not take final budget action on the fire budget July 14.
