Fire chief to roll out "Community Connect" portal; department details training, apparatus and dispatch metrics

Chief Robert told the commission the department has launched Community Connect, a records-management feature of the city website that allows residents to preplan houses, request car-seat installation and smoke-detector checks, and flag mobility or medical needs so first responders receive critical information on dispatch.

"This information is private. It's fully secure," Robert said, adding that flyers and outreach will accompany the rollout and that the new system will help the department track community requests and prevention activities.

On operations, the chief reported equipment and maintenance updates: Truck 1 remains out of service while awaiting a $13,000 part that has been delayed beyond the original four-to-six-week estimate; new safety lights were installed on headquarters' apparatus doors to reduce accidents. He also said turnout gear returned from the repair vendor has not been damaged to the point of being taken out of service.

Training and marine operations were highlighted: the department ran EMT simulation drills, conducted a three-day sonar class to improve dive-anomaly response and performed walk-throughs at the new Wesleyan science center.

The chief closed with dispatch statistics from the telecoms unit: 19 dispatchers (one in training), 6,742 total incidents, 2,337 911 calls and 5,710 administrative calls in the reporting period. He said the Community Connect feature went live last week and that the department will begin community outreach this month.