Norwich moves to a unified fire command amid council debate over volunteer roles

Norwich City Manager John Salomon told the City Council on Aug. 18 that the city has established a unified command structure to integrate career and volunteer fire personnel, aiming to standardize training, communications and emergency response protocols across Norwich.

The proposal drew sharp debate during the meeting. Mayor Pierre Robert Nystrom said he opposed the decision and called it “rushed,” noting a February 1, 2023 referendum he said rejected a similar policy. "I don't agree with it. I think it was wrong," the mayor said during council discussion. He warned the change could lead to higher costs and diminished volunteer participation based on experiences in other towns.

The report from the city manager described the unified command as a way to create “a single chain of command, consistent operating guidelines” and to define expectations for response times, staffing levels and infrastructure planning. City Manager Salomon said the change “strengthens Norwich emergency readiness while honoring the traditions and contributions of all departments.”

Fire Chief Sam Wilson described immediate next steps for implementation and staff coordination. "Thursday, we have our first command staff meeting at 03:30. The entire command staff will be getting together and we'll be talking about the first 30 days," Wilson said, adding the meeting will include first- and second-command officers from volunteer companies and the career department.

Council members expressed differing views. President Pro Tem Joseph A. DeLucia strongly supported the change, saying the plan would make the combined service safer and more reliable. "This is the improvement to the fire service, not ... an improvement to the paid department," DeLucia said. Alderman Nash expressed concern about volunteer morale and asked whether meetings were scheduled to build trust between paid and volunteer personnel; Chief Wilson confirmed upcoming command staff meetings to address those issues.

City Manager Salomon and supporters emphasized the measure was implemented under existing city authority and did not require a new ordinance. Salomon said misinformation about the policy has circulated and asked for time to educate the public and allow phased implementation. He said, "There will not be any ordinances that will be necessary to implement this proposal, and it is perfectly acceptable under the city's charter and ordinances that exist now." He also told the council implementation will not be immediate: "This is not an instant, conversion. It'll be up to at least 2 years for all aspects of it to be implemented."

Several council members and the mayor warned of possible downstream effects: potential volunteer attrition, town budget impacts and liability concerns if accountability and management structures are not clear. Mayor Nystrom and others urged caution; backers said the policy is designed to improve safety and coordination without immediate new costs.

The City Council did not take a formal vote on the unified command during the Aug. 18 meeting; the change was presented in the city manager's report and discussed at length by council members, the mayor and department leadership. Chief Wilson said command staff will meet in the coming days to begin the first-phase implementation work.

The council discussion is likely to continue at future meetings as staff and volunteer leaders move forward with implementation, public outreach and coordination across Norwich's volunteer companies and career fire personnel.