Southington council authorizes applications for firefighter equipment and dispatch upgrades; narrowly approves SAFER staffing application with delayed hiring

The Southington Town Council on June 8 unanimously authorized two federal grant applications to upgrade firefighting equipment and station-alerting systems and voted 7–2 to pursue a competitive FEMA SAFER staffing grant — but amended the SAFER motion to delay hiring until after pension rule changes take effect in July 2027.

The council approved a FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) application that would let the town replace end-of-life self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBAs). Fire Department leaders said the equipment request is near the AFG cap used for equipment and would reduce the town's long-term replacement cost; the department estimates a town cost-share of about $100,000 if awarded. "We just have to stay up with the standards to protect our people," Captain Daniel Coleman told the council, explaining the lifecycle, flow testing and safety rationale for the equipment replacement.

Councilors also approved a Department of Transportation Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant application to modernize station-alerting and dispatch interoperability and to improve GIS integration for traffic-incident response. Chief Scott Lee said the town is requesting about $440,000 with a 20% local match and said the project would automate alerting (sending incident details directly to stations) and shorten the time needed to launch responses.

The most contested item was the FEMA SAFER application, which would fund 12 new career firefighter positions over a three-year, phased cost-share structure (federal funds would cover roughly $3.1 million of a roughly $5.3 million three-year plan). Fire commissioners presented response-time maps, staffing metrics and a recent house-fire case study to justify the request, saying the addition would create staffing depth to hold station 3 24/7, meet NFPA 1720 assembly benchmarks more consistently, reduce reliance on mutual aid, and lower overtime costs.

Tim Wilk, chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners, framed the request as urgent: "We're reaching a fever pitch," he said, urging the council to act while federal funding is available. After extended questioning about long-term town costs, pension effects and timing, the council amended the authorization so that hires would begin after July 1, 2027 (timed to pension/seamer rule changes described by finance staff) or on another timetable that minimizes long-term pension exposure. That amendment passed as part of the motion to apply.

Volunteer and resident speakers told the council they supported the SAFER request. Volunteer Captain Andrew Renie said the chief and department were stretched and asked for assistance: "He's looking for assistance from you to do his job better." Resident Jeff Drain, a former volunteer, cited falling volunteer availability and long response times as reasons to seek federal staffing help.

The council asked town finance staff to model funding scenarios, including short-term carryover or contingency uses and the budget-year impacts of absorbing the grant-funded positions once federal support phases down. The council also authorized staff to proceed with application work on a tight federal timetable.

Outcome: AFG authorization — unanimous; SS4A authorization — unanimous; SAFER application authorization — passed 7–2 with a condition to delay hiring/start dates to reduce pension impacts and allow finance review. The fire department will pursue the applications and return with refined fiscal scenarios and implementation timing.