Fire Services Review Special Committee Agenda and Backup

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FIRE SERVICES REVIEW SPECIAL COMMITTEE
SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA
THurspay, May 29, 2025 6:00 p.m. WPD Traininc Room (41 AvERY LANE)
1. Establishment of quorum; call to order; introduce new Advisory member
2. Public Comment
3. Consideration and possible action on the RTM’s charge to the committee (RTC 6/7/21):
Review issues including performance, policies, and staffing and present their findings/recommendations
on any changes needed to enhance public safety, creating a steering document and strategic plan.
a. Receive/review existing comments on second half of report
b. Consider and act upon releasing draft report to new Fire Services Director for review and comment
c. Consider and act upon releasing draft report to RTM for information and status
4. Determine remaining meeting schedule to provide adequate review time, incorporate existing
comments, and address gaps.
5. Adjournment
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research provided by FSRSC member Williams:
OSC Firefighters Report
NIST Report Summary — Travel Times
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OFFICE of the STATE COMPTROLLER
Special Examination
on Firefighters
Comptroller Sean Scanlon
165 Capitol Avenue Hartford,
Connecticut 06106
Telephone: (860) 702-3300

PREFACE
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You may be wondering why the Comptroller’s office is publishing a report on the state of
Connecticut’s fire service. The answer is both personal and professional.
My grandfather, Joseph LaValle, was a New Haven firefighter. In 1964, to my family’s great
pride, he became the first firefighter in the history of the city to win the Medal of Valor non-
posthumously for saving the lives of several people in a fire on Grand Avenue. For most of my
early life, I thought I would be a firefighter and was a Fire Explorer in high school. Life took a
different path, but my interest in and support of the fire service never changed.
As Comptroller, I oversee two key benefits for many Connecticut firefighters: their healthcare
and their pension. It’s my job to serve as administrator of both the Partnership Plan (health
insurance for municipal workers) and the Municipal Employees Retirement System
(municipal pension), and I've worked hard to improve both since taking office in 2023.
In 2024, the legislature passed a bill creating a task force to study firefighter recruitment and
retention. It never came together, yet the issue remains an urgent priority for every city and
town in the state. Given the work we do on pensions and healthcare, I decided to form the
task force within our office.
The first step of fixing any problem is understanding the problem. Thanks to the hard work
of our team, especially Policy Analyst Brandon Young, we surveyed fire departments across
the state and conducted the first meaningful census of the fire service in decades. The
following report outlines what we found.
Now our real work must begin, and I am proud to be working with the Joint Council,
Commissioner Ronnell Higgins from the Department of Emergency Services and Public
Protection, and the legislature to take this data and actually begin to fix the problems this
report draws attention to.
In honor of my grandfather and in partnership with our state’s tremendous fire service
leaders, ’m proud to be doing this work.
Sean Scanlon, State Comptroller
OFFICE ofthe STATE COMPTROLLER
PAGE 2

INTRODUCTION
= —/ / ee
Firefighters provide innumerable benefits to our communities. Whether it be the protection
of our homes and businesses, defense against wildfires, or extricating survivors in a crash,
firefighters form an integral link that shields our residents from danger when they need it
most.
Unfortunately, firefighter recruitment and retention is a statewide crisis.
The data we collected shows that fewer people are pursuing firefighting as a career, and
demographic shifts have led to a significant decrease in volunteers across the state.
Firefighting also comes with a host of long-term risks. A study conducted by the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that firefighters have a 14%-202% higher
risk for a host of cancers depending on the type. These risks, combined with the slow erosion
of health and pension benefits due to budget constraints in many of our communities, may
be deterring those interested in pursuing firefighting as a career.
Asa result, Connecticut is facing a serious shortage of firefighters and especially in our rural
communities. Pomfret, for example, has seen an over 50% drop in their volunteers.
And in the other corner of the state, the Torringford Volunteer Fire Department in
Torrington announced its closure effective April 1,.2025. This has forced departments in the
area to draft new coverage plans and further stretch existing fire resources thin.
Using data collected from departments statewide, this report delves into the specifics of
Connecticut’s firefighting landscape. To hit at the root causes of the recruitment and
retention crisis, we must establish an understanding of how the state’s fire departments are
laid out. This report will also touch on our official estimates on the number of firefighters, as
well as data on their age and location. The report concludes with recommendations based on
the survey’s findings.
How was data collected?
Between August 2024 and February 2025, The Office of the State Comptroller (OSC)
reached out to chief elected officials in each municipality to survey each of their fire
OFFICE ofthe STATE COMPTROLLER
PAGE 3

INTRODUCTION
———$___—_—/ / a
departments. After an initial round of data collection, individualized follow-ups were
conducted until a sufficient turnout rate was achieved (163/169 municipalities (96%)
submitted at least one response to the survey). The departments that did not respond were
either industrial departments or small volunteer departments located in rural areas of the
state.
What is a “fire department”?
Various terms to describe a grouping of firefighters are commonly used (i.e. “department,”
“company,” “brigade,” etc.). For the purposes of this report, a fire department is a
distinct entity offering its own firefighting services that possesses a unique set of
bylaws and is tasked with a distinct coverage area. A fire department can also be in
control of multiple “stations,” which are facilities that belong to a particular fire department.
OFFICE ofthe STATE COMPTROLLER
PAGE 4

SPECIAL EXAMINATION ON FIREFIGHTERS
How many fire departments does Connecticut have?
Using the definition of “fire department” outlined above, Connecticut has 300 fire
departments as of May 1, 2025. Groton has the most fire departments with 11, followed
by Greenwich with 8, Danbury with 7, and Stamford and Killingly with 6.
The number of fire departments is expected to decrease as the state continues to struggle
with volunteer recruitment and retention. Thinning volunteer ranks have accelerated this
trend in recent years with departments either consolidating or shutting down entirely.
A disproportionately high number of fire departments is seen in Fairfield County,
southeastern New London County and northeastern Windham County. This can be
explained by the fact that municipalities in these areas contain a high number of distinct
neighborhoods (e.g., Rowayton in Norwalk or Mystic in Groton/Stonington) that
historically had a fire department established to serve that specific part.
Number of Fire Departments by Municipality
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OFFICE ofthe STATE COMPTROLLER
PAGE 5

SPECIAL EXAMINATION ON FIREFIGHTERS
What types of fire departments does Connecticut have?
¢ Municipal Volunteer Departments: These are departments solely staffed by
uncompensated members. Firefighters may, however, receive incentives such as atax
abatement, length of service or pay-per-call stipend, volunteer firefighter pension, and
other such minimal reimbursement. Municipal Volunteer Departments make up
61% of fire departments in Connecticut.
¢ Municipal Career Departments: These are departments with staff that receive
salaried/wage compensation for all services, including full- or part-time personnel.
Career departments make up the smallest grouping at 17%. Connecticut Fire
¢ Combination Departments:
These are departments that contain De partme n ts b y Ty pe
both volunteer and career staff. id
Combination departments either
have a majority volunteer force that is
augmented by a few fulltime
personnel (“Mostly Volunteer”
Departments) or mainly have career
firefighters with a volunteer division
(“Mostly Career” Departments). a
These represent 22% of departments
in the state.
Mostly Career
6%
Mostly Volunteer
16%
e State Departments: These are departments that are operated under a state entity
and not under a municipality. All state departments contain fully career staff. State
Departments consist of most of the state airports, the National Guard, and
UConn.
e Federal Departments: These are departments that are operated under a federal
entity. Practically speaking, this applies to the Naval Submarine Base New London
in Groton, which employs an all-career staff.
e Private/Industrial Departments: These are departments that are operated by a
non-governmental entity. Nearly all departments in this category are fully career.
Private/Industrial Departments are mainly operated by larger
manufacturing/chemical processing companies.
OFFICE ofthe STATE COMPTROLLER
PAGE 6

SPECIAL EXAMINATION ON FIREFIGHTERS
What types of fire departments are contained within each municipality?
Volunteer departments are interspersed throughout the state but are the predominant
type seen in rural areas (Litchfield and Windham Counties). 88 out of the 169
municipalities in the state only contain a fully volunteer department.
Concentrated mainly in Fairfield County, northern Hartford County, and New London
County (66 municipalities) are fully career departments supported by one or more smaller
fully volunteer departments that cover a specific neighborhood.
Municipalities with only career departments operating within them are exclusively
restricted to the state’s largest cities and their immediate suburbs; only 15 out of 169
municipalities fall into this category
Connecticut Fire Department Type by Municipality
@ Volunteer and Career/Combination
® Volunteer Only
Career Only
OFFICE ofthe STATE COMPTROLLER
PAGE 7

SPECIAL EXAMINATION ON FIREFIGHTERS
How many firefighters are there in Connecticut?
Our final estimates provide sobering
insights into the severity of oo.
Connecticut’s dwindling firefighting Firefighters by Type
forces. The last major estimate to be Paid per call
326
Number of Connecticut
made on the state’s firefighting
population was by the Connecticut
State___ Firefighters __Association
(CSEA)_during 2016-2017. CSFA Gen
had estimated the total number of 4738
firefighters to be 26,800 with a
sizable volunteer force of 22,350. In
just eight years since these estimates,
the number of firefighters in the state
has decreased by 50%, with
Connecticut losing an alarming
62.7% of its volunteer force.
Volunteer
8,337
Firefighter Type tae Re ear % Change
CSFA Estimate OSC Estimate
Volunteer | 22,350 | 8,337" | -62.7% |
Paid per call N/A (not counted) | 326 | N/A
Career | 4,450 | 4,738 +6.5% |
Total | 26,800 | 13,401 50%
*1,818 of these firefighters were designated by their departments as both volunteer and paid per call. The below row
‘represents those who were reported as only paid per call.
Interestingly, the number of career firefighters actually increased by 6.5% in the same
timeframe. This uptick in the face of precipitous declines can be attributed to two
factors:
1.Municipal Volunteer Departments still need to provide an adequate response to
calls even with depleted ranks. Along with mutual aid, these departments have
OFFICE ofthe STATE COMPTROLLER
PAGE 8

SPECIAL EXAMINATION ON FIREFIGHTERS
increasingly needed to augment their lack of volunteers with a contingent of
career staff. This has also led to an increase in Combination Departments.
2. Those who are interested in firefighting could be dissuaded from joining
volunteer forces due to the absence of benefits/incentives. Municipal Volunteer
Departments that can offer benefits (i.e. $7.50 per call, $1k/year stipend,
property tax abatement, etc.) often don’t translate well to the needed time
commitment. As a result, these recruits will often either start in a volunteer force
and move to a career department or go straight to a career department where the
benefits (such as healthcare and a pension) are either better or more guaranteed.
Connecticut’s demand for firefighting services has not lessened since 2017. Our state has
continued to grow in population, and recent increases in extreme weather have increased
Connecticut’s risks of wildfires and severe flooding.
How do Connecticut’s firefighters compare nationwide based_on average age and
age distribution?
Compared. to the rest of the nation, Connecticut’s firefighters are slightly older on
average. The state’s volunteer force averages 40.5 years old, 2 years older than the
national average of 38.5 years old, while career firefighters are closer to the average (only
1.29% older). If you differentiate between fully career and combination departments,
though, combination departments come in slightly higher at 39.2 years old, and fully
career departments are actually below the national average—just barely—at 38.2 years
old.
<30 | 23% 9% | 60.86%
30-49 50% 83% 466%
50-59 17% 6% | 64.7%
560 10% 2% | -80%
*Source: National Fire Protection Association
OFFICE ofthe STATE COMPTROLLER
PAGE 9

SPECIAL EXAMINATION ON FIREFIGHTERS
Connecticut’s firefighter age distribution indicates that the state is suffering froma lack
of age diversity across the board. While 23% of firefighters in the nation are under 30,
only 9% of CT firefighters are in this age group. Fewer younger individuals joining could
be indicative of a lower desirability to pursue firefighting right after high school.
Likewise, the state’s firefighting population is narrowly concentrated towards those who
are between 30-49 years old with the difference being 66% higher than the nation. Age
groups that are 50 and above are dramatically lower in proportion than the nation. This
strongly suggests that firefighters in Connecticut become full members in their early
thirties and relinquish fire suppression duties by the time they hit 60.
How many personnel are there overall, and what are their average ages?
For clarity, these are the definitions of non-firefighting personnel:
¢ Junior/Cadet: These are minors in training/leadership programs. While extremely
common with volunteer and combination departments, only 3% of junior/cadet
members are part of a fully career department.
e Probationary Members: These are new members who are in the process of
completing training to become a firefighter.
¢ Civilian/Non-Certified Staff: These are members who accomplish maintenance or
administrative tasks but do not engage in fire suppression response.
Personnel Type Number of Personnel Average Age
Firefighters 13,401 39.75
Junior/Cadet 852 16.2
Probationary Members 934 207
Civilian/Non-certified Staff 1,186 49.5
Total 15,521
An interesting takeaway from this data is the fact that there is a “gap” between the time
an individual graduates as a cadet to when they become a probationary member of
roughly 11 years (since most junior/cadet programs end at 17). Much of this gap can be
explained because of schooling. Individuals who are_18-22 largely enroll _in_post-
secondary education and are likely unable to become firefighters then. Focus should be
applied to target potential recruits between 23-27 years old to become probationary
members. This presents a large pool of people who are currently underrepresented in
Connecticut firefighting ranks compared to the nation.
OFFICE ofthe STATE COMPTROLLER
PAGE 10

RECOMMENDATIONS
The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) is in the
process of creating a Strategic Plan for the fire service in Connecticut. That plan, which
requires additional funding to be completed, will feature comprehensive
recommendations and a roadmap for the future of the fire service. The Comptroller’s
office is pleased to be part of this process.
In the meantime, the below recommendations will inform both the Strategic Plan
process and help address the underlying issues highlighted in this report.
1.Mandate the creation and regular upkeep of chiefs’ contact information:
There is currently no requirement for the state to keep track of each department’s
fire chief. Whenever a department appoints a new/interim chief, OPM and/or
DESPP should be notified of such a change so they can regularly update the list. A
possible contact list could be styled after CPCA’s Police Chief List or OPM’s Fire
Marshal and Town Chief Executive Officer lists.
2.Require the creation of a Connecticut Fire Department Map: The exact
coverage area of each fire department is not well known which potentially hampers
recruitment and retention efforts. Because of this, a map showing each fire
department’s coverage area should be created. Such a map could also include useful
information such as relevant contacts or information on a department’s mutual aid
agreements.
3.Regularly conduct a Firefighter Census: The fluidity and constant attrition of
the firefighting profession means that data on the number of firefighters needs to be
regularly updated. The state should conduct a standardized census at regular
intervals to provide leaders and policymakers with the most up to date information.
OFFICE ofthe STATE COMPTROLLER
PAGE Tl

NIST Report on Residential Fireground Field Experiments
Executive summary notes:
Time to water on fire: There was a 10% difference in the “water on fire” time between two and
three person crews
Ground ladders and ventilation: The four person crews operating on a low hazard structure fire
completed laddering and ventilation (for life safety and rescue) 30% faster than the two person
crews and 25% faster than the three person crews.
Primary Search: The three person crews started and completed a primary search and rescue
25% faster than the two person crews. (a 10% difference was equivalent to just over one
minute)
Hose Stretch Time: In comparing four and five person crews to two and three person crews
collectively, the time difference to stretch a line was 76 seconds. In conducting more specific
analysis comparing all crew sizes to the two person crews the differences are more distinct. Two
person crews took 57 seconds longer than the three person crews to stretch a line. Two person
crews took 87 seconds longer than four person crews to complete the same tasks. Finally, the
most notable comparison was between was between two and five person crews- more than two
minutes (122 seconds) difference in task completion time.
Occupant Rescue: Three different “standard” fires were simulated using the Fire Dynamics
Simulator (FDS) model. Characterized in the Handbook of the Society of Fire Protection
Engineers as slow-, medium-, and fast-growth rate, the fires grew exponentially with time. The
rescue scenario was based on non-ambulatory occupant in an upstairs bedroom with the
bedroom door open.
Independent of fire size, there was a significant difference between the toxicity,
expressed as fractional effective dose (FED), for occupants at the time of rescue depending on
arrival times for all crew sizes. Occupants rescued by early arriving crews had less exposure to
combustion products than occupants rescued by late arriving crews. The fire modeling showed
clearly that two person crews cannot complete essential fireground tasks in time to rescue
occupants without subjecting them to an increasingly toxic atmosphere, For a slow growth rate
fire with two person crews, the FED was approaching the level at which sensitive populations,
such as children and the elderly are threatened. For a medium growth rate fire with two person
crews, the FED was far above that threshold and approached the level affecting the general
population. For a fast growth rate fire with two person crews, the FED was well above the
median level at which 50% of the general population would be incapacitated. Larger crews
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responding to slow growth rate fires can rescue most occupants prior to incapacitation along
with early arriving larger crews responding to medium growth rate fires.

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