Councilors ask administration for status on fire apparatus, turnout gear and Route 79 protection

Councilors voted unanimously to send the city administration and the fire chief a formal request for an update on apparatus ordering, the status of vehicles on order, plans for fire protection at the Route 79 development site, and the status of turnout (turnover) gear.

Public commenter Michael O'Regan opened the topic during citizen input, urging the committee to prioritize public safety funding after describing a recent Hick Street fire and saying the city and union GIS studies showed coverage gaps. "Public safety should not be a line item. It should be funded first, not last," O'Regan said. He cited equipment failures and long lead times for replacements, warning the city lacks trucks and manpower to respond to waterfront development and other high-risk incidents. O'Regan also said his union's analysis found areas with "no coverage whatsoever."

A councilor moved to request a written update covering current apparatus ordering and delivery schedules, contingency planning for new Route 79 development, and an update on turnout gear procurement; another councilor seconded. The clerk recorded the motion and the committee approved it by voice vote with unanimous 'Aye' responses.

During discussion, members and commenters raised long lead times for ladder trucks and maintenance-and-warranty concerns. One commenter cited an estimate that ladder-truck orders have a lead time of about 1,600 days from order to delivery. Councilors and the public emphasized the need for reliable spare vehicles so units can rotate into maintenance without losing frontline capacity. Chair and councilors also requested documentation of any communications with the state and the developer about a developer-built station at Route 79 so the committee can assess fire-protection needs tied to projected growth.

The committee asked staff to include an update on apparatus orders, the capital improvement plan status, turnout-gear procurement, and any outreach to state partners or developers in the letter to the administration. The request will be delivered to the mayor's office and the fire chief for response to the committee at a future meeting.