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Fire chief says staffing gaps and overtime strain department; paramedic count remains at seven
Summary
At a Leominster finance subcommittee meeting, the fire chief described a level-funded FY27 budget, said the department is staffed with seven paramedics (the desired complement is eight), and pointed to overtime driven by retirements, injuries and deployments. He also described mutual-aid billing practices and multi-year equipment lead times.
The Leominster fire chief told the finance subcommittee the department’s FY27 budget is essentially level-funded but rising personnel costs from a recent collective-bargaining agreement are built into the numbers. “It’s been a level funded budget,” he said, adding that salary increases and contract timing explain a jump in some line items.
Councilors pressed the chief about paramedic staffing after a paramedic account line rose from $578,000 to $685,000, an increase they calculated at roughly 18–19 percent. The chief said that increase is driven largely by contract timing and full-year costs; he confirmed the department currently has seven paramedics but has long sought eight. “Correct,” he said when asked about the desired complement.
The chief described operational strain from retirements, long-term injuries and a deployment that require overtime to keep shifts covered. He said the department is pursuing one-for-one replacement where possible and expects two new candidates to complete medical and psychological clearances shortly. If staffing were increased midyear, the city would need an appropriation to add personnel outside the budget cycle, staff told the committee.
On mutual aid, the chief said Leominster receives more mutual-aid ambulance responses than it provides, and the city charges $350 when another community’s ambulance actually transports a patient. “We charge $350 and that’s what it is for every community,” he said, adding that if Leominster transports, it does its own billing.
Councilors also asked about capital equipment. The chief said engines have multiyear lead times (about three years from order), ladders about four years and ambulances roughly one year. He noted the city is part of litigation alleging price gouging and delivery delays by major manufacturers and said the department will monitor outcomes but cannot rely on a quick fix.
The committee did not take formal action on the fire budget at this meeting; department staff said they will meet with the mayor and comptroller to review overtime and staffing options.
