Bolton Fire Department reports steady call volume, orders new boat and begins apparatus evaluation

Chief Bruce Dixon told the Bolton Fire Commission on Oct. 26 that the Bolton Volunteer Fire Department responded to 34 emergencies in the previous month and expects to handle roughly 550 calls by the end of the calendar year.

Dixon gave commissioners a rundown of recent incidents, including a car fire, a four-vehicle crash on Route 6, a vehicle striking a pole at Fiano’s car wash, several medical calls and four mutual-aid assignments. He said the department has ordered a new boat under its Capital Investment Program and that a committee is evaluating options and vendors to replace engine ET334, which experienced an electrical incident that removed it from service for five days.

Why it matters: equipment purchases and apparatus-replacement planning shape the department’s ability to respond to larger or simultaneous emergencies and influence capital spending plans in future fiscal years.

Dixon said he and Deputy Chief Eremita continue to attend the town’s Unified Command meetings addressing COVID-19 and how the pandemic affects department operations. He also reported that he and Fire Marshal James Rupert have been in discussions with ESO about adopting an electronic data-collection system, with hopes to implement the program in summer 2021.

The commission noted fire prevention month on the new sign in front of the firehouse. Dixon said school administrators have asked the department to postpone in-school prevention presentations until the spring because of COVID-19 concerns.

The meeting minutes record the approval of the July 27 and Sept. 28, 2020 meeting minutes. Those motions are listed in the minutes as “V.U.” (as recorded by the clerk). The commission reviewed September’s bills and circulation copies were provided to members.