2022 was a very busy year for your Fire Department. In fact, it was the busiest year we have ever had. There were 416 requests for service.
In last year’s town report, we mentioned East Kingston was the host for a five-town grant totaling just under $1,000,000 for communications equipment. Unfortunately, we were not awarded the grant. It was not for lack of effort or desire. There was about $360,000,000 available nationwide and more than $2.1 billion in applications submitted.
We were, however, awarded a local grant for $50,000 that was used to purchase a power load system for the cot in the ambulance and a Lucas chest compression device. Both have been put in service and on the ambulance. Both have already proven their worth and we are grateful to have them.
For 2023 things are looking very positive for us. The entire region saw massive increases in call volume in 2022 and we expect to see that continue. The last decade or so the calls for service averaged about 70% EMS and 30% fire. The last two years that has dramatically change. We are now averaging about 55% fire and 45% EMS.
Although we have had a lot of success with our retention and recruitment program, we could always use more members. We currently have 40 members on the roster. This may sound like a lot, but they are all not available at the same time. They all work other jobs and have other obligations. We are extremely grateful for all the time, effort, training and dedication all our members give.
We have four warrant articles this year, #9, #10, #11 and #12.
All are very important and necessary.
- #9 is a new request. It asks for $73,000. The intent for this is to provide a $100 daily stipend for two people from the East Kingston Fire Department to commit to being available from home (or station if they choose) and respond to any fire or EMS request during the overnight hours. Each of the two qualified members would get the $100 stipend. Mutual aid is an invaluable resource and used by all departments, however with all departments seeing the call volume increase and staffing issues mutual aid requests may be dangerously delayed.
- #10 is a recurring warrant article asking for $50,000 to be added to our apparatus capital reserve fund. We are years behind the recommended replacement program. Part of the reason we are years behind is we were asked several years ago by the selectman to skip a year for just one year. The following year we were asked to lower the request from $65,000 a year (necessary for safely and timely replacement of apparatus) in the CIP plan to $50,000 for a year or two. We followed both these requests and have not been able to catch back up yet.
- #11 is a recurring warrant article asking for $15,000 to be added the existing fund. Designed to repair, replace or install dry hydrants and cisterns. We currently have about $65,000 in this fund. A single new cistern install would cost about $80,000.
- #12 is also a recurring warrant article that request $10,000 be added to the existing Fire Department/Emergency Operations Center and/or buildings capital reserve fund. The intent of this fund is to have a feasibility study done or plans drawn up if land or buildings were ever made available. It appears there may actually be a possibility of land becoming available in the very near future in the center of town.
I want to thank all the members of the East Kingston Fire Department and all the residents of this great little town for their continued support and dedication.
Ed Warren, Fire Chief