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Fletcher fire chief urges funding for staffing, station upgrades and new apparatus as costs surge
Summary
Fire Chief Griffin told the town’s budget workshop that rising equipment and construction costs, paired with staffing shortfalls, leave the department under‑resourced; he asked the council to consider budget increases and capital funding for stations and apparatus.
Fire Chief Griffin told the town’s budget workshop that the Fletcher Fire Department is facing sustained cost pressures that threaten its ability to meet emergency staffing and response standards.
“Fire engines…today to replace that we’re at a million dollars,” Griffin said, listing equipment price increases that have outpaced the department’s purchasing power. He said turnout gear, vehicle‑extrication tools and SCBAs have risen by large percentages, and that replacement apparatus and station repairs are significantly more expensive than in prior years.
Why it matters: the chief said lower…
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