Acton Fire Department pilot: Collins Center finds three-district staffing improves coverage; report due early 2026

The Acton Fire Department and the Collins Center presented interim findings on a phased pilot of alternative staffing and district configurations that began in February 2025. Chief briefed the board on station and staffing changes since April 2022, including reoccupying West Acton station and redistributing apparatus to balance coverage.

The Collins Center reviewed CAD dispatch data, conducted surveys of firefighters across pilot phases and surveyed the public (nearly 350 responses in a summer survey) to gauge perceptions of safety, response times and morale. Using NFPA-derived benchmarks, the consultant reported that operating a three-district model (north/central/south) with properly cross-staffed engines and ambulances improves operational capability and response coverage relative to the initial four-station, two-person-per-station arrangement.

Staff cautioned that adequate station space and staffing levels are critical; the South Acton station was identified as undersized to house five personnel, which influenced earlier reassignments. The consultant recommended continued monitoring, workforce recruitment and training to reach desired paramedic coverage; the final report is expected in early 2026 (tentatively February) and will include detailed CAD analysis and contiguous-town comparisons.

Next steps: staff will finalize the Collins Center report, incorporate CAD and survey findings into capital and staffing plans, and present a full report and recommended implementation steps to the board in early 2026.