The Public Safety & Transportation Committee held the following (see the report and watch the meeting video):
- Discussion with the Fire Department: (6-0)
- Operational Statistics: There has been an increase in fire and medical calls, with 500 more runs in 2024 than 2023. Traffic crash runs have not increased. There was a significant number of multiple-alarm fires compared to previous years. There were 27 structure fires, 14 of them significant. Seven were “working fire” alarm levels, with two being caused by electrical, 1 each by smoking materials, solar panels (at Newton Wellesley Hospital), hot work, vehicle/equipment, and 1 still under investigation. There were six 2nd alarm fires, two still under investigation, one each from electrical, oily rags, smoking materials, lightning strike. There was one 3rd alarm fire from oily rags.
- Overtime and Staffing: The department has seen a 10% decrease in overtime due to proactive hiring practices, which have helped fill vacancies faster and reduce the training backlog for new firefighters.
- Equipment and Facilities: The new Engine 7, ordered at the end of 2022, should arrive in March or April. The design of a slightly smaller new Ladder 3 truck has been completed. The wait time for Ladder 3 is over three years.
- Health and Safety: Currently, 10 members are out injured. Two have filed for retirement, four are out long-term, four have short-term injuries and are in physical therapy. In 2023, the Fire Department received a grant for a Senior Safe Program and has inspected about 75 homes for smoke and carbon detectors and visibly displayed house numbers.
- Coastal Ambulance: The City’s EMS provider supplies four 24-hour ambulances and one 16-hour ambulance as a backup. Mutual aid is handled by Coastal Ambulance.
Present: Councilors Grossman (Chair), Greenberg, Lucas, Block, Bixby and Wright
Absent: Councilors Downs and Lipof
City Staff: Chief Greg Gentile and Assistant Chief Mike Bianchi, Newton Fire Department and
Jonathan Yeo, Chief Operating Officer