Laconia fire chief details vehicle purchases, community paramedic grant and mental‑health needs in budget presentation

The Laconia City Council received the Fire Department’s fiscal 2026 budget presentation Tuesday night, where the department outlined planned apparatus purchases, a federally funded community paramedic program and internal needs including training and mental‑health supports.

The presentation, given by the fire department chief, said two ambulances, an engine and a ladder truck are on order, with the ambulances expected in March 2026 and the engine and ladder truck arriving in October and November 2025 respectively. The chief said the new apparatus will replace a 2007 and a 2012 ambulance, a 1991 engine and a 1998 ladder truck.

Why it matters: the department said updated vehicles and training capacity are intended to sustain emergency response across roughly 4,600 annual incidents and to support expanded services such as the new mobile integrated health program.

The chief described the mobile integrated health program — a community paramedic model operated in partnership with Partnership for Public Health — and said the partner received a three‑year grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration that funds the program in full. "The grand total for that grant is $450,000. Funds it in full for 3 years," the chief said. He reported the program began patient visits last month and had made 43 patient contacts at the time of his remarks (he corrected that number later to 48).

The presentation outlined EMS and clinical metrics used to describe department capacity: 18 paramedics on staff, five of them certified for rapid sequence intubation; 24 advanced EMTs; six rapid sequence intubations in the past year; six cardiac‑arrest saves; and 32 direct transports to Concord Hospital for major cardiac, trauma and pregnancy cases. "We are very busy departments," the chief said, adding the department is the busiest north of Concord by call volume.

Fire prevention and inspections were also highlighted. Deputy Littrell, described by the chief as leading prevention and risk reduction, oversees inspections, investigations, public education and plans review. The chief said the prevention team performed 1,330 inspections and plan reviews last year, including 507 mechanical inspections and 74 multifamily rental property inspections. A part‑time inspector, Matt O'Neil, works 24 hours per week and performs mechanical and multifamily inspections.

Councilor Soucy asked for more data on the community paramedic work. "As we move forward, I just like to see when you give us the report your manager puts together monthly, I'd like to see a breakdown. It's a 43. What kind of calls were they on?" Soucy said. The chief agreed to include more detailed breakdowns in future reports.

Mental health for first‑responders was a recurring topic. The chief said the department has provided reactive support when incidents occur but should adopt proactive wellness checks similar to a law enforcement program he described as the "mental health and wellness act" enacted in February 2017. "I think the fire service needs to start taking that same approach," he said. Councilors and the city manager discussed forming a committee and reviewing funding options; the city manager said a finance subcommittee to discuss the budget will meet in a few weeks and that chaplain funding could be added to that agenda.

On mutual aid, the chief said the Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid Association — a 35‑community mutual aid compact — now factors call volume into a fee structure and provides automatic and alarmed responses across towns. The chief explained how automatic responses bring Guilford and Belmont to structure fires and that additional communities are called depending on incident size.

The chief closed by listing training priorities, probationary staffing (eight personnel within their first year), and plans for a potential on‑duty training facility funded by fundraising. "Training is a priority for our organization," he said.

Ending: Councilors praised the department’s progress and approved continuing budget review; no ordinance, appropriation or formal vote on the items presented was taken during this session.