Concord firefighters’ union president thanks council, warns of staffing strains ahead of budget

Justin Caner, president of the Concord Firefighters Union, used the City Council meeting on April 13 to thank the council and community as he prepares to step down from union leadership and to press his case ahead of the FY27 budget deliberations.

Caner told the council the department has seen a sharp rise in demand: he said calls have increased roughly 100% over a 30-year span and that in the last 10 years the department hired about 50% of the personnel now on duty, meaning many crew members have 10 years or less tenure. That trend, he said, creates intensive training needs and administrative strain as the department adapts to evolving industry standards.

Caner noted recent investments the council has supported — turnout gear, a tower truck and negotiated contract changes including step adjustments and multi-year increases — and said those items matter. But he urged the council to consider staffing and training as the budget is finalized, saying: 'we are in need of growth' and asking for the community’s and the council’s continued support.

Why it matters: Fire department staffing and overtime are recurring municipal budget tensions. Caner presented his remarks as both a farewell and a call to prioritize funding that enables training, equipment maintenance and rest periods needed to retain personnel and manage increasing operational tempo.

What he asked for: Caner urged councilors to factor staffing and training needs into the 'pocketbook' decisions they will make in the budget process and framed the department's case as one of sustaining community service and reducing long-run liabilities tied to understaffing.

Next steps: Caner’s comments were received with thanks from the council. The points he raised — staffing levels, overtime, and training capacity — are now part of the public record to inform the city manager’s budget proposals and council deliberations this spring.