Fire Safety Committee: Grafton Fire needs significant overhaul

The Fire Safety Study Committee cast its report to the Select Board in no uncertain terms: Grafton’s Fire Department needs a significant overhaul for the safety of the town.

It’s lacking in recruitment for on-call firefighters. Its upper echelons are either retired or on the verge of retirement. And if their recommendations don’t get implemented, it’s likely just a matter of time before the unthinkable happens.

With Fire Chief Mickey Gauthier nearing retirement age, the committee is recommending that the town hire its very first full-time fire chief, along with two deputy chiefs who will serve as a fire inspector and fire safety officer. It wants them hired in tandem to start, together, on the work of rebuilding the fire department.

While the town has applied for a grant to fund a new fire chief, the three positions are packaged in the June 23 $4 million Proposition 2 1/2 override request, which is also supporting Grafton schools and capital expenses. Its inclusion was at the urging of Committee Chairman Ray Mead back in March.

 “If you don’t pass the override, you’re not going to get an inspector, you’re not going to get a fire safety officer. You’re going to get a chief,” Mead said. “You know I’m not in favor of overrides, but this is necessary to get this department moving forward.” 

Of special importance, committee member Rick Allain said, is the fire safety inspector. With home sales down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the current inspector is going to be overwhelmed when real estate heats up again.

“Nothing has been done. We are behind,” Allain said. He added that the fire department has been under discussion for 15 years under three town administrators. “We can’t keep putting this off.”

Two district chiefs have already retired without replacement. Member Nick Child added the fire department has already been cited for OSHA violations that need to be addressed.

Select Board member Peter Carlson, who serves on the committee, said the Select Board needs to follow the recommendations of the report and not simply shelve it.

Anything can happen. Any day,” Mead said. And if you’re not ready for it, if you’re not trained for it, it can be an issue.”

Like Grafton Common? Help support us on Ko-fi.

[kofi] https://ko-fi.com/jenniferpaluzzi