The Hudson Board of Selectmen recently reviewed several potential warrant articles for the upcoming Town Meeting, including a proposal to hire additional firefighters to address growing service demands.
Hudson Fire Chief Scott Tice explained that the department applied for a SAFER grant last year to fund eight new firefighters but has yet to receive confirmation. “We were supposed to find out by Sept. 30,” Tice said, noting that other departments have received notifications. “We haven’t received any notification one way or another.” He added that the Oct. 1 government shutdown has delayed verification.
The department’s immediate goal is to add four firefighters/AEMTs, bringing staffing to 14 per shift. “We have a goal of reaching 14 firefighters per shift,” Tice said. This increase is based on rising call volumes and the frequency of simultaneous emergencies.
Tice shared data illustrating the strain on resources. In 2024, the average incident lasted 25 minutes, during which there were 1,113 instances of a second call. When factoring in ambulance time, averaging 55 minutes, there were 2,012 cases of overlapping calls. “So we have a lot of simultaneous calls,” Tice explained. “It requires more people and creates situations where there may be less personnel available for other calls coming in.”
Even with additional staff, Tice said mutual aid would still be necessary for major incidents such as building fires. “This would beef up our staffing to deal with more calls at the same time,” he said.
If approved, the warrant article would allow the department to operate two engines and two ambulances per shift, with all personnel cross-trained to handle either role. “Everyone would be able to either do the ambulance or the engine,” Tice explained, emphasizing flexibility in deployment.
The proposed warrant article would total $590,629, covering salaries and benefits for the new hires. Tice stressed that the department hopes to learn the status of the SAFER grant before deciding whether to move forward with the article.
“This is about keeping pace with the community’s needs,” Tice said, noting that Hudson’s population growth and increased development have contributed to higher call volumes. “We’re trying to make sure we can respond effectively and safely.”
No decision was made during the meeting, but Selectmen agreed to revisit the proposal once more information on the grant becomes available.
The next Selectmen meeting is scheduled for Nov. 25 at 7 p.m.
