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South Burlington Fire Chief outlines deployment changes, new ambulances and planned retirement
Summary
The fire chief reported a roughly 4% rise in call volume and said a deployment change since April has cut fire‑truck dispatches to lower‑priority medical calls, reducing wear and long‑term costs. He also announced plans to retire in late 2026 and described recent investments in ambulances and a station modernization schedule.
Steven Ward, South Burlington's fire chief, told the budget retreat the department has absorbed steady increases in call volume and has shifted how it deploys apparatus to match medical‑call priorities.
"We're tracking about 4% call volume increase this year. We'll push about 5,300 emergency calls for service," Ward said while summarizing annual volumes. He described a deployment model change implemented in April: "We no longer send fire trucks to every, medical call," a shift intended to send apparatus only when call type warrants more personnel and equipment.
Chief Ward and Deputy Chief Chris McCormick described operational benefits: a roughly 30% drop in fire‑truck movements for medical calls, savings on fuel and vehicle wear, and improved long‑term fleet costs. The department also took delivery of a new ambulance and added a second 24/7 ambulance earlier in the year; staff said those changes generated about $300,000 in additional revenue tied to ambulance billing.
Ward also announced a leadership transition: "I will, be retiring sometime late 20 26," he said, noting multi‑year succession and officer‑development programs to prepare the department for the change.
Councilors asked about billing practices, regional partnerships for supplies and the recruitment pipeline; staff said they monitor short‑term rental platforms to identify unregistered rental units and that the department has increased internal training and leadership development for retention and succession.
