Eastern, Connecticut's Firefighter/EMT Staffing Levels

[nfd2004]

There has been several changes or additions to many of Eastern, Connecticut's Firefighter/Emt Staffing levels over the last few years.

Many small towns such as Scotland (pop 1,568), Bozrah (pop 2,417), or Voluntown (pop 2,554) have begun to hire per diem, or part time, and in some places even fulltime firefighter/emts, although they still rely heavily on volunteer firefighters to respond.

The area also includes TWO Large Casinos, "Foxwoods" and "Mohegan Sun", which also has their own staffed fire departments
New London is home to the United States Coast Guard Academy as well as a Shipping Port and Groton is home to the United States Submarine Base.
The area also includes the very busy I-95 going east/west through the southern part, and I-395 going north/south through the area.

The larger cities in the area include; Norwich (pop 40,014) with a fully paid staff, which is also covered by five totally separate fire companies.
Groton (pop 38, 456) which also has it's fully paid staff, is also covered by totally separate fire districts
New London (pop 27,635) which has a fully paid staff.
Willimantic (pop 24,428) which also has a fully paid staff and is also covered by totally separate fire districts

Let me begin with New London.
1) New London Fire Dept has 16 members on duty working 24/72s. They also provide the ambulance service
2) Norwich Fire Dept has 13 members on duty working 24/72s, with Five totally separate Volunteer Fire Departments within the city. They are East Great Plains, Yantic, Taftville, Occum and Laurel Hill FDs.
3) Groton Federal Firefighters - Sub Base Fire Department - has a minimum staffing working 48 hrs on/48 hrs off.
3) Willimantic Fire Dept has 7 members on duty but can drop to 6. They work 2 days, 2 nights, 4 off. They also provide the ambulance service and their ambulance also covers the Town of Chaplin. The separate Volunteer Fire Departments within the town include Windham Center, North Windham, and South Windham FDs
4) The Mohegan Sun Casino Fire Dept has 10 members on duty but can drop down to 8. They work 24/72s
5) The Town of Montville has 4 members on duty working 24/72s with 1 member staffed in each of their 4 stations. However, I am told that may be changing soon.

There are several other departments that I hope to provide you with the staffing levels within the area as time allows.

 

[twoteamtease]

When’s the test for the Mohegan Sun FD?!😃

 

[Extra One & One]

There has been several changes or additions to many of Eastern, Connecticut's Firefighter/Emt Staffing levels over the last few years.

Many small towns such as Scotland (pop 1,568), Bozrah (pop 2,417), or Voluntown (pop 2,554) have begun to hire per diem, or part time, and in some places even fulltime firefighter/emts, although they still rely heavily on volunteer firefighters to respond.

The area also includes TWO Large Casinos, "Foxwoods" and "Mohegan Sun", which also has their own staffed fire departments
New London is home to the United States Coast Guard Academy as well as a Shipping Port and Groton is home to the United States Submarine Base.
The area also includes the very busy I-95 going east/west through the southern part, and I-395 going north/south through the area.

The larger cities in the area include; Norwich (pop 40,014) with a fully paid staff, which is also covered by five totally separate fire companies.
Groton (pop 38, 456) which also has it's fully paid staff, is also covered by totally separate fire districts
New London (pop 27,635) which has a fully paid staff.
Willimantic (pop 24,428) which also has a fully paid staff and is also covered by totally separate fire districts

Let me begin with New London.
1) New London Fire Dept has 16 members on duty working 24/72s. They also provide the ambulance service
2) Norwich Fire Dept has 13 members on duty working 24/72s, with Five totally separate Volunteer Fire Departments within the city. They are East Great Plains, Yantic, Taftville, Occum and Laurel Hill FDs.
3) Groton Federal Firefighters - Sub Base Fire Department - has a minimum staffing working 48 hrs on/48 hrs off.
3) Willimantic Fire Dept has 7 members on duty but can drop to 6. They work 2 days, 2 nights, 4 off. They also provide the ambulance service and their ambulance also covers the Town of Chaplin. The separate Volunteer Fire Departments within the town include Windham Center, North Windham, and South Windham FDs
4) The Mohegan Sun Casino Fire Dept has 10 members on duty but can drop down to 8. They work 24/72s
5) The Town of Montville has 4 members on duty working 24/72s with 1 member staffed in each of their 4 stations. However, I am told that may be changing soon.

There are several other departments that I hope to provide you with the staffing levels within the area as time allows.

Good stuff 👍. Keep it coming! Thanks

 

[nfd2004]

When’s the test for the Mohegan Sun FD?!😃

I believe they have a Human Resource Department and you can probably contact them for that information

Also, the Mohegan Sun Fire Department called “The Mohegan Tribal Fire Dept” provides FAST Coverage for a large area in many of the surrounding departments

The Sub Base Fire Dept also provides such coverage in the southern end such as New London, Groton etc

 

[Capttomo]

It is increasingly common all over the country volunteer recruitment and retention is becoming more and more difficult. Many of these localities also are served by volunteer ambulance corps, many who have hired daytime or full time EMTs …. Only a matter of time in many of these areas that the volunteer fire department finds themselves having to resort to the same staffing models. And, many of these towns and cities are already paying astronomical taxes .

 

[CT Buff]

Both tribes with casinos in New London County have jobs posted for police officers and for dispatch right now - but no fire service positions.

Mohegan Tribe

Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation

 

[nfd2004]

It is increasingly common all over the country volunteer recruitment and retention is becoming more and more difficult. Many of these localities also are served by volunteer ambulance corps, many who have hired daytime or full time EMTs …. Only a matter of time in many of these areas that the volunteer fire department finds themselves having to resort to the same staffing models. And, many of these towns and cities are already paying astronomical taxes .

Yes Tom, aka "Captomo", there is a lot of truth in what you say.

I was amazed when I learned some of the local departments that are now providing some kind of paid staff.
As a young volunteer firefighter several years ago in a combination paid (2 paid firefighters)/volunteer service, in one firehouse alone which had an engine and a box truck type rescue, sometimes there were more volunteers than places for us to ride on the two rigs, including riding the back step.

Yes, it is a totally different time these days and even with incentives offered, it is a difficult job to acquire and then retain volunteer firefighters.

Along with that of course are the requirements which now are required under the NFPA Standards.

To the younger members who are volunteer firefighters today - I say; "HAT's OFF To YOU"

 

[nfd2004]

As we Continue:

6) Montville Fire Dept - has 4 members on duty 24/7, having 1 member in each of it's 4 stations (but that may change soon).
7) Foxwoods Casino Fire Dept - has 6 members on duty 24/7, but one member is always assigned to Fire Alarm
8) Bozrah Fire Dept - has 2 members on duty Monday - Friday, from 07:00 to 16:00 hrs
9) Lisbon Fire Dept - has 2 members on duty Monday - Friday, from 07:00 to 17:00 hrs
10) North Stonington Fire Dept - has 2 members on duty Monday - Friday, from 08:00 - 16:00 hrs
11) Waterford Fire Dept - has 4 fulltime members on duty 24/7 working 24/48s. A firefighter and a captain are in the Jorden Fire Station, and 2 firefighters are in the Cohanzie Fire Station. They also have various assorted part time hours at the other three fire stations in the town
12) Preston Fire Dept has a fulltime fire chief and a captain. Plus each station, Preston City and Poquetanuck, are staffed with 2 members when staffing is available. But I believe Poquetanuck is the "primary" house which usually gets 2 members on duty.

To be continued.

 

[johnd248]

Pawcatuck FD has four members/chiefs on duty on weekday day tours. Nights and weekends they rely on volunteers,
Stonington Borough FD has one member (Chief) on duty weekday day tours. Nights and weekends they rely on volunteers.
Wequetequock FD is all volunteer.
Quiambaug FD has a member/ officer on duty on the day tour seven days a week. Volunteers cover the rest of the week.
Mystic FD has several member/officers on duty weekday day tours. Volunteers cover the rest of the week.
Old Mystic FD has several members/officers on duty weekday day tours working out of two stations,

 

[Signal73]

As a CT guy I must comment haha

I have a friend who is OTJ Poquonnock Bridge Fire Department. Which is in Groton

Not sure if they are part of the Groton FD

 

[johnd248]

Separate departments. City of Groton, Poquonnock Bridge, Sub Base, Electric Boat, Pfizer, part of Old Mystic, part of Mystic, Noank, Center Groton, Groton Long Point all departments with the Town of Groton

 

[Signal73]

My Buddy just sent me an essay about his department


So Groton is divided into fire districts. Same idea as west haven or Enfield. There’s 9 departments within Groton which is a town size comparable to Hamden land wise. The districts have numbers and are governed by elected boards of commissioners and has its own fire administration. 1/2 is the city of Groton. They are a career department with only 3-4 guys on. They run about a 1k a year. Not a big response district at all. I work for Poquonnock bridge which is district 3. We have 5 guys on 2 on the engine 2 on the ladder and a captain in his own command vehicle. We cover the largest area of town. Have an area kind of like Dixwell ave and a ton of low income housing and multiple occupancies, I95, the airport, the ocean a ton of shit. My engine is doing about 2500/2600 runs a year.

The rest of the districts are either combination departments or all volunteer. We respond to all of them with either the ladder or engine on a report of a fire depending on which is on the ticket. Our engine Also responds to EB, Pfizer and the Sub base for any fires. The truck goes to New London on a working fire.

Decent place to work. Certainly busy enough being in only one house.

 

[nfd2004]

My Buddy just sent me an essay about his department


So Groton is divided into fire districts. Same idea as west haven or Enfield. There’s 9 departments within Groton which is a town size comparable to Hamden land wise. The districts have numbers and are governed by elected boards of commissioners and has its own fire administration. 1/2 is the city of Groton. They are a career department with only 3-4 guys on. They run about a 1k a year. Not a big response district at all. I work for Poquonnock bridge which is district 3. We have 5 guys on 2 on the engine 2 on the ladder and a captain in his own command vehicle. We cover the largest area of town. Have an area kind of like Dixwell ave and a ton of low income housing and multiple occupancies, I95, the airport, the ocean a ton of shit. My engine is doing about 2500/2600 runs a year.

The rest of the districts are either combination departments or all volunteer. We respond to all of them with either the ladder or engine on a report of a fire depending on which is on the ticket. Our engine Also responds to EB, Pfizer and the Sub base for any fires. The truck goes to New London on a working fire.

Decent place to work. Certainly busy enough being in only one house.

Thank you Brad, "signal73", and also please thank your friend for me who is on the job there at PBFD.

Everything he says there is CORRECT.

I am good friends with the Deputy Chief there, J.D., as we used to work part time as 911 dispatchers together in another town.

Also, retired Firefighter Scott L., aka "Bxboro" here, whose brother Mike, retired from the FDNY and replaced his older brother Scott his last day on the job there. A GREAT STORY.

 

[Lebby]

Thank you Brad, "signal73", and also please thank your friend for me who is on the job there at PBFD.

Everything he says there is CORRECT.

I am good friends with the Deputy Chief there, J.D., as we used to work part time as 911 dispatchers together in another town.

Also, retired Firefighter Scott L., aka "Bxboro" here, whose brother Mike, retired from the FDNY and replaced his older brother Scott his last day on the job there. A GREAT STORY.

Willie thank you for this great thread, I always enjoy hearing about metro area departments.

 

[CFDMarshal]

We are experiencing a similar evolution here in middle Tennessee. Many departments are having to put on paid personnel either part-time or full time in order to handle the call volume. I am currently a paid on call firefighter for our county department and I will attempt to explain how it works here.
Putnam County Tennessee is located 70 miles directly east of Nashville.The county population is 80,000 and is the home to Tennessee Tech University. Interstate 40 transverses the county from mile marker 268 to 304. Their are 4 municipalities located within the county. They are as follows:

Cookeville (pop.36,000) full time out of 4 houses. 16 on duty including the BC.
Algood (pop.5,000) volunteer, 2 engines
Baxter (pop 2500) combo 1 paid per shift, 2 engines, paid chief
Monterey (pop 3500) volunteer. 2 engines

Putnam County has 14 stations in the areas not protected by the above listed municipalities. Day time staffing has one firefighter at the following Station 31(west end), Station 12 (north). 24 hr staffing at Station 11 (central) and Station 21 (east). Station 11 has two firefighters on duty with one being a shift Captain. Two stations, 15,13 has a live in firefighter. We do fire and medical first response. The county operates a separate EMS division out of 5 stations and also a separate all volunteer rescue squad that handles vehicle extrication, rope and water rescues.

County Fire responds automatically on structure fires to Baxter. We respond as 2nd alarm to the city of Cookeville and upon request to the others. We operate 1250/1000 engine companies and 1250/2000 engine tankers. Annual call volume for the county is approximately 2500.

 

[Extra One & One]

We are experiencing a similar evolution here in middle Tennessee. Many departments are having to put on paid personnel either part-time or full time in order to handle the call volume. I am currently a paid on call firefighter for our county department and I will attempt to explain how it works here.
Putnam County Tennessee is located 70 miles directly east of Nashville.The county population is 80,000 and is the home to Tennessee Tech University. Interstate 40 transverses the county from mile marker 268 to 304. Their are 4 municipalities located within the county. They are as follows:

Cookeville (pop.36,000) full time out of 4 houses. 16 on duty including the BC.
Algood (pop.5,000) volunteer, 2 engines
Baxter (pop 2500) combo 1 paid per shift, 2 engines, paid chief
Monterey (pop 3500) volunteer. 2 engines

Putnam County has 14 stations in the areas not protected by the above listed municipalities. Day time staffing has one firefighter at the following Station 31(west end), Station 12 (north). 24 hr staffing at Station 11 (central) and Station 21 (east). Station 11 has two firefighters on duty with one being a shift Captain. Two stations, 15,13 has a live in firefighter. We do fire and medical first response. The county operates a separate EMS division out of 5 stations and also a separate all volunteer rescue squad that handles vehicle extrication, rope and water rescues.

County Fire responds automatically on structure fires to Baxter. We respond as 2nd alarm to the city of Cookeville and upon request to the others. We operate 1250/1000 engine companies and 1250/2000 engine tankers. Annual call volume for the county is approximately 2500.

When do you respond? Are you assigned to a station and when it goes, you go? Also, do you report to the station or go directly to the scene?

 

[nfd2004]

Continuing with "Eastern, Connecticut's Firefighter/EMT Staffing Levels".

13) Voluntown has 2 members on duty Monday - Friday from 06:30 - 16:30 hrs
14) Scotland has 2 members on duty 7 days a week from 06:00 - 18:00 hrs
15) Canterbury only has it's ambulance staffed during the day, Monday - Friday
16) Plainfield has it's ambulance (Moosup Ambulance) with 2 EMTs on duty, 7 days a week, 24/7
17) Colchester has 5 members on duty Monday - Friday from 08:00 - 16:00 hrs, and 2 members on duty from 16:00 - 08:00 Hrs.
18) Salem has 3 members on duty Monday - Friday from 07:00 - 17:00 hrs
19) East Haddam has 4 members on duty Monday - Friday during the day shift
20) Ledyard has 5 members on duty with 2 members at the Ledyard Fire Station, and 3 members at the Gales Ferry Fire Station on Monday - Friday from 07:00 - 16:00 hrs

To be continued

 

[CFDMarshal]

When do you respond? Are you assigned to a station and when it goes, you go? Also, do you report to the station or go directly to the scene?

Great question. I respond to all structure fires (if available) from Fire Station 24 to either the scene or to fire station 11 which is HQ. Since I am emergency medical certified I will cover the county if needed. I respond to medical in my first due territory usually in my POV. I work a shift, min of 4 hrs usually 8 hrs at Station 11 (HQ) twice a month. My assigned shift is B but can fill in on any shift. Eventhough I am a retired boss I wear a firefighter frontpiece. I try to help mentor the new ones and they usually put me to work if needed. I'm good with that.

 

[nfd2004]

Continuing:

21) East Lyme - Niantic section has 5 members during the day between two stations and the Flanders section has 3 members. At night it is 2 members town wide.
22) Dayville in Killingly has 3 members on day shifts Monday - Friday
23) Glastonbury has 2 members rotating between the 4 stations Monday - Friday, day shift.
24) Electric Boat Corporation in Groton has 8 members on duty with a minimum of 7 working 24/48s
25) City of Groton District has 5 members a shift working 24/48s
26) Mansfield has 5 members a shift with 4 man minimum staffing two of the three stations
27) Hebron has two full time members working 07:00 - 17:00 hrs
28) Old Mystic is transitioning to one person always on duty working 24/72s with 2 command staff and 3 Fire Marshalls/FF/EMTs working during the day.

Well, to the members and visitors of this site, this concludes the listing I have for "Eastern, Connecticut's Firefighting/EMT Staffing Levels".

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS TOPIC.

The smallest town mentioned above was Scotland, with a population of 1,568.
Followed by Bozrah (pop 2,417), Voluntown (pop 2,554), Lisbon (pop 4,148), and Salem (pop 4,200)
Even these small towns have found it necessary to provide some type of On Duty Fire/EMS coverage.

Some of the towns are covered by a regional dispatch center, while some like New London and Norwich have their own dispatch centers.

Most of the mentioned towns provide a Fire Department Ambulance Service, excluding Groton and Norwich.
I believe Groton provides a separate town wide ambulance service, while Norwich and Ledyard uses a private contract ambulance service (American Ambulance Service).

I would also like to give a SPECIAL THANKS To "Ratpack", aka Jeff R., a Battalion Chief in New London, Ct. for his passing of information to me

Also a HUGE THANK YOU to Norwich, Ct Firefighter Ryan F., who presented us with a very large portion of this report.
Ryan, also spent about one year as a firefighter in New Haven, Ct, a few years ago.
A young Brother Firefighter who is very much into the job, as well as providing you tube videos in the series presented as "NLC Fire Wire", in the "Videography Section" of this site.

 

[Capttomo]

Thank you all for your contributions to this topic. Very informative and enlightening. Stay safe. Happy Holidays