Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Fire Rescue topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Northampton Fire Chief asks council to fund eight new firefighters amid record EMS demand
Summary
Fire Chief Pelas told the Finance Committee that Northampton Fire Rescue saw record call volumes and is proposing eight new firefighter positions (two per shift) in FY26, funded initially by a SAFER grant application that would phase costs to the city.
Northampton Fire Rescue is requesting an immediate staffing increase after a year of rising emergency calls, Chief Pelas told the Northampton City Council Committee on Finance at a continued FY26 budget hearing. The department is proposing eight new firefighter positions — two more firefighters per shift — to allow the city to staff a fourth ambulance more consistently and reduce reliance on mutual aid.
The request follows what Pelas described as “another record year for call volume,” with the department responding to 9,072 fire and EMS calls in the last year and 7,380 of those classified as EMS responses. “This level of demand is taking its toll on our personnel physically and mentally,” Pelas said, citing factors that include the ongoing mental health crisis, a growing unhoused population and regional shortages of EMS providers.
Why it matters: Pelas said the staffing addition would improve response capacity and could convert missed or mutual-aid responses into local ambulance transports, increasing ambulance revenue. The department has applied for a federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant and included the eight positions in the FY26 personnel services line, with the new hires planned to start in October 2025 if hiring proceeds on the department’s schedule.
Key details and budget impact: Pelas told councilors the SAFER application is due around July 1 and awards would be known by October; if awarded, the grant would cover most costs for the first three years and “these funds will be returned to the general fund at the end of FY26,” he said. He also explained the city would assume the full cost of those positions after the grant period ends. The department projects ambulance services will generate approximately $3,818,255 in FY25 with an additional $236,552 from Medicaid reimbursement; Pelas said ambulance billing offsets part of operational costs but cannot by itself cover the proposed long‑term personnel expenses.
Operational needs beyond staff: The department proposed modest increases to EMS supplies and equipment to keep pace with higher use. Pelas asked the council to increase the EMS supplies line from $85,000 to $93,500 and the EMS equipment line to maintain defibrillators, suction units and related devices under heavier wear. He also described occasional periods (12 instances last year) when all department ambulances were out of service and required assistance from other agencies.
Discussion and next steps: Councilors asked about timing, grant-coverage breakdowns and whether hiring would precede grant awards. Pelas said the department plans to begin hiring in August to have staff ready for the October start; he also warned that the SAFER award — if granted — might not fund all eight positions. The finance committee recessed deliberations for a later recommendation; no final budget adoption occurred at the hearing.
Ending note: Chief Pelas framed the FY26 request as a “thoughtful and necessary investment” to maintain operational readiness and to protect personnel health in a department stretched by sustained call increases.
