Fire chief reports full staffing, cistern thefts and progress on lightning detection grant

The fire chief reported the department is fully staffed for the first time in 10 months and has been conducting driver, pumping and dry-hydrant familiarization training to acclimate crews to equipment and the community.

Chief Blanchett told the Select Board that fire cisterns are intended for department use and described recent apparent tampering at one cistern: security screws had been replaced and a cover left misaligned, and the cistern was down about 4,500 gallons. The chief said a similar incident occurred in prior years, and urged residents to report vehicles that are not fire apparatus seen accessing cisterns. “If they see somebody accessing them and it's not a fire truck, they probably shouldn't be there accessing them,” he said, and he noted the department has considered, but not yet installed, game cameras.

The chief also reported work underway on cemetery spring cleanup and that staff are evaluating cemetery-records software to move from paper and spreadsheets to a customer-facing electronic format; the aim is to better manage perpetual-care funds and mowing costs.

Separately, the town has received hardware for a lightning detection and warning system; signs are awaited and installation at the recreation fields is a priority so grant closeout can proceed. The chief said the federal grant program that funded the equipment was about to stop, and the town’s paperwork and equipment arrived in time to secure the funds.

On public-health monitoring, the chief said the Department of Environmental Services will do three samplings at the beach in May, June and July, and the town will use judgment about additional sampling based on weather and water conditions.