Waterford review panel seeks more response-time, station and fleet data ahead of June RTM presentation

The Waterford Fire Services Review Special Committee met May 1, 2025, approved its March 27 minutes and pressed for more operational data and engineering reviews as it finalizes Draft 1 of its report for presentation to the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) on June 4, the committee chair said.

Chair Robert Tuneski said RTM Moderator Goldstein requested the final report be presented at the RTM's June 4 meeting and asked committee members to submit all comments within the next week so he could compile edits and information for the next FSRSC meeting. The committee approved the March 27, 2025 minutes on a motion by Matthew Keatley, seconded by Richard Muckle; a voice vote was unanimous.

The committee reviewed a second-half draft intended as a more educational, public-facing template, noting that outside reviewers had described the first-half draft as "sterile." Tuneski said most draft material was provided by Interim Director Mike Howley and pulled from the town website and Planning and Finance staff, and he said the draft also referenced the International Association of Fire Chiefs' Blue Ribbon and Red Ribbon reports for context.

Members identified several substantive information gaps that must be filled before the report is finalized. Chair Tuneski said staff continue to seek station-level response-time data and response headcounts for incidents. Committee members also said they lack comprehensive capital- and fleet-management plans and suggested the town consider commissioning structural-engineer assessments of the Cohanzie, Goshen, Jordan and Quaker Hill fire stations to document building condition and any capital needs.

The transcript records that the town's ambulance provider (referred to in the record as "WAS") currently reports staffing of one 24-hour shift and one 16-hour shift; the committee noted more detail about ambulance coverage will be needed in the report. Tim Condon, a member of the RTM Public Protection & Safety Committee, urged the group to focus not only on unit travel times but on "how long it takes to get enough responders on scene," adding that response-time measurement in the 1980s had been "easy" but now must account for multi‑responder staffing thresholds.

The committee passed over further discussion of a proposed outside review and reached consensus to tentatively schedule its next meeting for Monday, May 19, at 6:00 p.m. The meeting adjourned at 7:04 p.m. and the draft report remains open to edits and additional data prior to the June 4 RTM presentation.

The transcript does not record public comments or a formal vote on the draft report itself; the committee recorded only the minutes approval and the scheduling direction for the next meeting.