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Fire chief warns of coverage gap; proposes separate warrant article for full-time staffing
Summary
Fire Chief James Reiner told the Alton Town Budget Committee the department is transitioning from a call model to a full-time staffing model and will present a separate warrant article seeking funds for four additional full-time firefighters; chief cited high overtime, rising call volume (about 1,400 calls projected) and mutual-aid strains.
Fire Chief James Reiner told the Budget Committee on Oct. 30 that the department is at a "critical point" in a multi-year plan to shift Alton from primarily call-based coverage to a fully staffed department.
Reiner said the department currently has five full-time firefighters in regular roles (six counting the chief) and that the plan presented to the board would add four full-time positions through a separate warrant article the committee will see later. "We're projected to just be shy of 1,400 this year at the end of the year," Reiner said, attributing most calls to EMS and an aging year-round population. He described sustained overtime expenditures…
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