Salem fire chief outlines expensive 2024 brush‑fire season, staffing gains and capital plans

The City of Salem Committee on Administration and Finance heard a detailed briefing from the Fire Department on May 20, 2025, including operational volumes, emergency responses last year, and capital needs that the department says are necessary to maintain response capabilities.

The fire chief told the committee the department handled roughly 8,223 runs in 2024, including 4,728 medical calls and about 1,682 alarm responses; the department averages about 8,000 runs annually. The chief said Salem responded to an “unprecedented” brush‑fire season and relied on mutual aid and state task‑force teams. “We were in the woods 31 straight days,” the chief said, and the department received task‑force aid on 17 days and sent mutual aid to other communities on 14 days.

That wildfire activity increased overtime and vehicle wear. The chief said those costs were absorbed in the department budget and that the city used mutual aid — including National Guard air assets — during peak days. He said no fire‑related deaths occurred in Salem in 2024 and credited rapid response times and prevention work.

On personnel, the chief reported the department is “fully manned” as of the prior Friday after years of hiring: the department has 89 firefighters, five dispatchers and several civilian positions. He described near‑term capital priorities: a replacement ladder truck (estimated future request roughly $2 million, with a multi‑year build), a brush/ light‑rescue truck to reduce dependency on outside mutual aid, continued radio system replacement (a $4.5 million project), HVAC and boiler replacements at multiple stations, NFPA‑compliant lockers to reduce firefighter chemical exposure, and funding to outfit two UTVs and trailers for regional response.

Grant work includes a FEMA Port Security‑style award for a harbor craft referenced earlier by the Harbor Master, a Department of Fire Services (DFS) turnout gear grant, and an Assistance to Firefighters grant application for SCBA bottle replacement; the chief said SCBA bottles require replacement or hydrostatic testing after their service life and that the department sought a federal matching grant for that purpose.

Councillors asked about training, increased inspector activity and sustainability measures; the chief said fire prevention staff completed roughly 4,100 inspections in 2024 and the department is conducting a multi‑year sustainability effort that would replace boilers and window units with high‑efficiency heat pumps if funded. Councillors also asked about recruitment of women; the chief said the department has one female candidate on a civil‑service list and described outreach efforts — school visits, job fairs and targeted programs — but said female recruitment remains a regional challenge.

Councillor Stott moved to recommend approval of the Fire Department personnel budget ($10,804,711) and expenditures ($542,440) for a department total of $11,347,151; the committee approved the motion by roll call.