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Resident and fire commission warn of firefighter departures as EMS data shows slight decline in calls
Summary
A resident and the fire commission chair warned of firefighter resignations and questioned a request for funding to add 12 firefighters; the EMS committee reported a small drop in call volume and that AMR met priority response standards for Jan–May 2026.
A Southington resident and the fire commission chair raised alarms Monday about firefighter departures and staffing pressures, while the EMS committee reported a modest drop in call volume and that contracted ambulance provider AMR met response standards for the review period.
Resident Brian Teske, who identified himself and his address for the record, said he reviewed FOIA records and questioned whether data justified a $2 million request to add 12 firefighters. "I gotta be honest with you, I really don't see it here," Teske said, referencing the number of incidents in the 12‑month package he reviewed and saying he planned to return with additional AMR call details.
Tim Wilk, chair of the fire commission, told the council a recent firefighter resignation is the second recent departure and said compensation and safety concerns were factors. Wilk said one departing firefighter took a $30,000 pay cut to move to another department but cited contract flexibility and pay as reasons staff left.
Separately, the EMS committee presented data for January through May 2026 showing 2,852 medical calls compared with 2,913 in the same period of 2025, 136 overloads (4.73%) compared to 146 (4.9%) in 2025, and AMR meeting or exceeding the 90% response standard for priority 1 (90.54%) and priority 2 (96.98%). The committee said it is continuing contract development and staffing alignment work.
Councilors directed residents with detailed questions to the monthly fire commission meeting for deeper data review and asked staff to supply AMR contract information and call reports if available.
The meeting did not result in an immediate vote on firefighter headcount or funding; councilors and the commission signaled continued attention to retention, pay and services alignment.
