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Safety committee resignations and equipment gaps prompt Stratford concerns over fire response
Summary
A public commenter and committee member told the Selectboard he is resigning from the Safety Committee and Emergency Management, reported the town has only one working dry hydrant and that burn permits moved online; he urged the town to fill a Forest Fire Warden role and address infrastructure needs.
At the April 21, 2025 Town of Stratford Selectboard meeting, Charles (C.) Stinson III informed the board he is submitting his resignation from the Safety Committee and from Emergency Management. Stinson said the town will need to purchase burn permits online going forward and said the town needs a Forest Fire Warden to carry out related duties.
Stinson reported infrastructure concerns for fire response: he said the only operating dry hydrant in town is on Hog Back Road and that the dry hydrant located on U.S. Route 3 just north of Goulet Road is out of service. He also flagged cracking in the fire station’s asphalt apron and recommended the town contact public works or Lynch LLC to assess the surface.
The record shows Stinson returned only five signed copies of the Municipal Safety Handbook, which the record states is a requirement of field employees. The board did not announce a replacement Forest Fire Warden at the meeting.
The meeting record does not show a formal board decision on these items; the discussion identifies next steps for staff or contractors to assess repairs and for the board to identify a Forest Fire Warden.
