Hartford Fire Department presents $43.09 million recommended budget, cites overtime and station repairs

At a Hartford City Council Operations, Management, Budget and Government Accountability Committee budget hearing, Chief Barco of the Hartford Fire Department presented the department's recommended 2026 budget and outlined staffing, capital and training priorities.

The department is recommending a total general-fund budget of $43,093,926 for 2026, an increase Chief Barco said is about $1.0 million, or roughly 3.7 percent, over the adopted 2025 general fund. Chief Barco told the committee the increase largely reflects overtime costs and firefighter step increases, while attrition savings and other offsets partially reduce the net change.

Why this matters: The Fire Department said sustained overtime and aging facilities are driving near-term budget pressure and planned capital work. Committee members pressed leaders on specific repairs and how filling vacancies would affect overtime costs.

The department reported 375 full-time positions and 25 vacant positions. Chief Barco described the department's staffing mix as including suppression personnel, support staff and administrative positions; he reported roughly 320 suppression members and said about 54 percent of firefighters live in the city. On…