Woodbury fire chief seeks funds for recruitment, equipment and station repairs

Fire Chief Janet Morgan told the Town of Woodbury Boards of Selectmen and Finance at a Jan. 31 budget workshop that the fire department’s budget requests reflect rising call volume and a need to shore up aging equipment and station infrastructure.

"Volunteers are compensated $10 per call," Morgan said, adding her staffing estimate assumes roughly 450 calls distributed among 46 members and that she has seen about a 30% increase in recruitment. She asked the boards to preserve a $5,000 line item intended to support recruitment efforts.

Morgan said an apparatus survey will be completed to determine replacement timing for trucks, but she defended several capital requests now under consideration: replacement of the last set of water supply lines, purchase of a lift for lighting and maintenance work, replacement of vintage 1980 doors at the Hotchkissville station, resurfacing part of the bay at Orenaug and replacement of worn office carpet. She said the planned water tank would allow crews to remain on the department’s own supply rather than rely on "city water."

The chief also cited routine vehicle maintenance that extends fleet life, such as annual undercoating, while acknowledging that corrosion on older trucks is not recoverable and will ultimately require replacement. Morgan said the department has deferred an apparatus survey to accurately time replacements and is monitoring recruitment trends to shape operational estimates.

The boards did not take any formal votes at the workshop. Budget deliberations will continue as staff and elected members refine capital priorities and cost estimates ahead of adoption.