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Weare fire chief warns of critical staffing shortfalls, asks select board to revisit recruitment plan
Summary
Weare’s fire chief told the Select Board on July 13 that multiple upcoming departures will reduce on-duty staffing from eight to as few as five firefighters, driving large overtime costs and straining maintenance and consumable budgets; the chief asked for policy options and a report back in two weeks.
Fire Chief (speaker identified as Fire Chief) told the Weare Select Board on July 13 that the department faces an immediate staffing squeeze that will increase overtime and strain the operating budget. "We only have 5, so we're almost half the department's almost gone," the chief said, describing pending departures that will leave the department down from eight to five personnel over coming months.
The chief said the town has already paid about $30,000 to cover the vacant lieutenant’s shifts and estimated a monthly overtime premium of roughly $4,265 for staff stepping in, which — if continued through the year — could push overtime costs toward $100,000. "As of probably two weeks ago, we have spent somewhere almost in the area of $30,000 alone just to fill the lieutenant's vacancy," the chief said. Chair Jack Diamont confirmed the select board has spent roughly $3,345 so far on the MRI wage-and-benefits study intended to identify recruitment and retention options.
Why it matters: the department’s vehicle-maintenance and operating lines are already depleted. The chief said the vehicle maintenance budget for the year was $19,000 and that immediate needs — new tires, front-end alignment and brakes across multiple units — add an estimated $9,000 in near-term work. He also said a leaking tank on Tanker 1 was repaired but may eventually require replacement at an estimated cost of about $30,000. The chief described running out of consumables (paper towels, detergent), sometimes buying supplies personally to keep the station functioning.
Board members and the chief discussed short-term tactics to reduce overtime and secure coverage, including reopening a per-diem recruiting pool, offering availability stipends, or adjusting per-diem rates to market levels (the chief said typical per-diem pay in the region is about $30 an hour). Select Board members cautioned that per-diem staff may be mandated by their own full-time departments and thus not reliably available. "If they're mandated at their own department, they're mandated their own department, and they're not available," one board member said.
The chief said MRI — a consultant conducting a wage-and-benefits survey — has been coordinating outreach and interviews with other departments and promised a report with recommendations by mid-August. The chair asked for the chief to return to the board in about two weeks with additional proposals for short-term coverage and estimated costs.
Looking ahead: the board set a short timeline for follow-up. The chief said he would bring research on possible per-diem inducements, revised scheduling options and prioritized vehicle repairs to the next meeting for the board’s consideration.
