Stow council approves two new firefighters after officials cite rising call volume and overlapping incidents

Stow City council voted on June 26 to authorize the immediate hiring of two additional full‑time firefighters after fire department leaders warned that call volume is outpacing the department’s existing staffing model and that overlapping incidents are increasingly leaving the city with no in‑town units available.

Fire Chief Stone, Assistant Chief Lang and Captain Troy Acker presented year‑to‑date figures showing rapid growth in emergency calls. The department reported about 5,524 calls in 2024, said Lang, and projected more than 6,000 calls this year with trends pointing toward roughly 6,500 calls next year. Year‑to‑date (as of the meeting) the department had recorded 2,966 calls, of which 2,006 — about 68% — occurred while another unit was already on a call (an “overlapping incident”). Chief Stone said overlapping incidents are forcing the department to rely on mutual aid for some calls and are driving high overtime costs.

Department officials described the city’s current minimum daily staffing model as 15–16 personnel per shift (A‑shift currently carries one extra person), which leaves each station with a single staffed fire apparatus/ambulance on many days. Assistant Chief Lang explained the department’s practice of sending two personnel in an ambulance and a third in a “chase” vehicle to reduce hospital wait time and keep at least one trained responder available in‑city for subsequent calls. But Lang said that practice cannot fully close the gap when multiple calls arrive together.

Chief Stone asked council to authorize two hires immediately (to equalize A/B/C shifts to 16 personnel each and raise the daily minimum staffing to 11), and proposed adding three more hires in 2026 to reach a sustainable level that more reliably supports a fourth ambulance. Councilmembers questioned timing, budget sustainment and the source of the applicant list; Stone said HR had candidates who had cleared many pre‑employment steps and that new testing is scheduled for September to build a longer eligibility list.

Several councilmembers signaled support for immediate action. Councilmember Jeremy McIntyre asked whether two hires would materially reduce the system stress; department leaders said the hires would not guarantee a fourth ambulance but would increase the number of days that a fourth ambulance could be placed in service and would reduce overtime. Finance staff told council there was an existing budget line that covered one new firefighter for 2025 and that adding two hires late in the fiscal year would not create an immediate budget shortfall; they cautioned that adding three more hires in 2026 would need to be prioritized in next year’s budget cycle.

Nick Nicholson, vice president of IAFF Local 1662, read a union letter into the record expressing full support for increasing firefighter staffing now, saying the current model “can no longer safely manage the continued growth of our call volume.”

After brief public discussion, Council moved to authorize the hires. A roll‑call vote was recorded and carried unanimously (yes votes recorded). Council asked the fire department to return with metrics on overlapping incidents and overtime after the new hires have been on duty for an evaluation period.