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Millis Fire Department reports steep call growth; requests staffing, apparatus and brush‑response upgrades
Summary
Chief Barrett told the Finance Committee the fire department saw more than a 30% year‑over‑year increase in calls and has done nearly 500 calls in two months; the department requested funding for staffing changes, a utility response vehicle (UTV) for brush/EMS access, ambulance replacement planning and radio/alarm system upgrades.
Millis Fire Department leadership told the Finance Committee on Wednesday that call volume has risen sharply, stretching staffing and equipment and prompting capital and staffing requests to maintain response levels.
Chief Barrett said the department saw the largest single annual increase in recent memory — more than 30% from 2023 to 2024 — and reported about 498 calls in the first two months of 2025. Fire leadership described multiple simultaneous incidents as an emerging stress point: while crews are committed to one call, additional calls frequently arrive and require mutual aid or delayed response from elsewhere in town.
The department requested a…
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