Gardner City fire chief reports staffing steady, cites overtime overruns and grant-funded radio purchase

Fire Chief (Speaker 3) told the Gardner City committee on Jan. 23 that all budgeted fire-department positions were filled and that one firefighter moved to injury leave while pursuing disability retirement. ‘‘At the time of this report, all budgeted fire departments positions are filled,’’ the chief said.

The chief reported overtime expenditures that have exceeded line-item budgets: fire overtime was $347,108 and ambulance overtime $81,008 as of Jan. 17. He said fire overtime is roughly $100,000 lower than the same time last year, while ambulance overtime is about the same.

On equipment and capital needs, the chief said a 2011 pump-and-ladder truck (identified in the report as Combination 4) underwent insurance-covered repairs that revealed additional issues; the department is awaiting an outstanding invoice that could push repair and maintenance line items close to budgeted limits.

The department successfully received a FY2024 FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) for new portable radios but required a grant amendment because of manufacturer price increases and added options. To stay within the award, the department reduced the number of radios from 42 to 38 and submitted a free-cash request to the mayor for a 10% local match totaling $35,118.68. The chief estimated delivery, programming and local setup would take six to eight weeks followed by two to three months for full operational use.

Gardner is also eligible to apply for up to $19,000 through a Massachusetts Firefighter Safety Equipment program, the chief said; that program does not require a local match.

On service volume, the chief said the department responded to a record 6,324 emergency incidents in 2025, a roughly 4.6% increase from 2024, transported 1,506 patients by ambulance, conducted 1,079 fire-prevention inspections and issued 662 permits. The chief described the grants and equipment upgrades as important to maintain operations while seeking to manage overtime and repair costs going forward.

The committee did not take formal action on these updates; the chief answered councilors’ questions about staffing, grant sustainability and repair timelines.