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Tamworth department reports 241 calls since May, notes FEMA grant competition and staff retention incentives
Summary
The town’s department reported 241 calls since May (504 year-to-date), discussed FEMA grant competition and a state retention incentive for EMTs, and outlined timing for ambulance and apparatus replacements.
The Tamworth Select Board heard an operations report on Aug. 22 from a department representative (Speaker 8) who said the department logged 241 calls since May and 504 calls year-to-date, compared with 604 calls for the prior year.
"We've had 241 calls since then. We're at 5 0 4 for the year," Speaker 8 told the board. He described a state retention program for EMS workers that provided a $1,100 tuition stipend and a separate $1,000 retention check for personnel who achieve six months of good standing. One member recently reached that six-month milestone and received the retention payment, Speaker 8 said.
Speaker 8 also described capital and replacement timing for apparatus: finalizing specifications for the department’s Engine 3 replacement and expecting an ambulance/rescue truck ordered last quarter to be built this year and delivered in the first quarter of next year. He flagged uncertainty in federal grant funding: historically the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program (AFG) awarded large national sums (Speaker 8 noted prior total figures nationally), but next year's AFG funding level will be reduced and the program will be more competitive.
Board members questioned trends in repeat calls and whether social-service links could reduce nonemergency responses. Speaker 8 said a number of calls involve social-support needs (for example, assistance with medication or falls among older residents) and that some callers abuse the system by seeking hospital transport when not medically necessary. The board discussed recruitment challenges, plans to attract correctional officers and other potential recruits, and local and regional training opportunities including an EMT class scheduled for mid-September in Tamworth.
The department update concluded with operational notes on truck inspections and tire safety under NFPA guidance: Speaker 8 said tires older than five years should be replaced even if they look serviceable because dry rot can create failure risks.
The board did not take formal action on the report but acknowledged the update and thanked the department representatives for the information. The department will continue to pursue grant opportunities and local recruitment.
