Courtesy Falmouth Department of Fire & Rescue
FALMOUTH – Falmouth’s FY24 budget could see funds for more firefighters as the Cape Cod and Islands region wrestles with a famine of emergency response personnel.
Acting Town Manager Peter Johnson-Staub said they are looking to fund 14 new firefighter positions, a critical amount as the town looks to the completion of its sixth fire station in Hatchville.
“Those new positions are beneficial and will result in improved fire and Emergency Medical Services, whether we’re operating five stations or six stations, but the 14 additional fire department positions become a necessity if we are staffing six stations,” Staub told selectmen at their most recent meeting.
He added that the new firefighter positions would increase public safety and minimize overtime hours that have become commonplace.
“It’s not unusual, but it matters how often you do that. If we have everyday, three or four firefighters being forced to work overtime, I don’t know how long they’re going to do that. That may be a retention issue.”
Funding the positions could be achieved through several options, including a new Fire Department Stabilization Fund and a $1.5 million override, a reduced override and new sources of revenue, or slashing budgets elsewhere.
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