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Glocester fire chief warns of dispatch vulnerabilities; council to pursue training and staffing fixes
Summary
The fire chief briefed the council on vulnerabilities in combined fire/police dispatching driven by increased call volume and higher national standards; the town will recruit, train additional dispatchers, consider per‑diem hires, and develop a training curriculum to sustain dual‑discipline dispatch operations.
Glocester’s public safety dispatching model—where dispatchers handle both fire and police communications—faces operational strain amid a very active fire year and evolving national standards, the chief told the council.
The chief reported that dispatch responsibilities have grown and in some incidents dispatcher duties now require a higher level of training than current staffing supports. He described tension when a single dispatcher must manage simultaneous police and fire incidents, and noted that the town’s current MOU and staffing model limit flexibility. The department is training a new dispatcher, pursuing an additional per‑diem hire, and reviewing national standards and CALEA guidance to develop a curriculum that better prepares dispatchers for the elevated scope of work.
Council members said overtime and recruitment are pressing budgetary and staffing issues and urged the chief and town manager to return with costed training and staffing proposals. The council and chief agreed on a plan to increase training investment, recruit qualified applicants, and consider certification standards for critical dispatcher functions. The council did not take immediate budgetary action at the meeting; the chief requested time to finalize curricular proposals and staffing recommendations for future budget discussions.
