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Brentwood budget committee approves $1.29 million fire budget after chief warns of staffing shortfall
Summary
The Budget Committee approved the 2026 fire department budget at $1,288,790 after Fire Chief Roy warned the department lacks minimum staffing to attack structure fires and outlined a warrant proposal to add a third per-diem slot (estimated about $300,000). Committee members pressed for clearer revolving-account accounting and mutual-aid details.
Fire Chief Roy told the Brentwood Town Budget Committee on Dec. 22 that the fire department has shifted from a call/volunteer model to a largely full-time and per-diem operation and currently staffs two personnel on duty — "bare minimum staffing" — but needs three to enter a burning building. "We can't actually go into the building and put the fire out with 2 people, you need 3 people," Roy said, describing a recent house fire where a third person made the difference in salvaging the first-floor contents.
Roy said he asked select board members to consider adding a per-diem 24-hour slot as a warrant article for the town meeting; budget documents shown at the meeting estimated that adding one per-diem 24-hour slot would cost about…
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