The Brewster Fire Rescue Department is a professional emergency response organization that preserves life and property through Fire Prevention, Fire Suppression, Medical and Rescue services and promotes public safety through community outreach and education.
Initiated implementation of several goals and objectives included in our five-year strategic plan:
Completed Staffing and Organizational StudyPartnered with LEXIPOL to initiate advancement of standard operating guideline, policy, and procedure project
Community Engagement Team continued participation in numerous community and fire safety education related events
In partnership with Town official’s introduced new website Completed grant funded Fire Instructor I and Fire Officer I training Filled full-time Fire Prevention Officer position Hosted Health Department employee flu clinic Completed project to remove and replace all firefighting foam with non-PFAS material Conducted free skin cancer screenings through the Massachusetts Fire Academy Developed specifications and ordered new ambulanceApplied for and received a $91,000.00 Assistance to Firefighter (AFG) Grant to conduct engine and aerial operations and driver training
Conducted CPR and Stop the Bleed training for Town Hall and DPW employees Applied for a $18,000.00 State Fire Equipment Grant Applied for and received a $5,858.00 SAFE/Senior SAFE Fire Safety Education Grant Applied for and received a $3,500.00 Emergency Management Performance GrantApplied for $93,000.00 in supplemental ambulance revenue through Medicaid Certified Public Expenditures (CPE) program.
Assisted in the management of the Brewster, Orleans, Chatham, and Harwich (BOCH) Community Emergency Response Team
Completed mandatory NERO’s Law training allowing members to treat and transport K9’sContinue to initiate and complete operational and administrative goals and objectives contained in the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan
Implement hiring recommendations from the Staffing and Organizational Study. The recommended hiring of additional firefighters complements Goal #3 in the Governance category of the Select Boards FY24-25 Strategic plan which states, “identify priority areas to increase organizational capacity to meet enhanced service needs and expanded project demands and develop long-term financing plan to fund necessary personnel”
Apply for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant (SAFER) to potentially fund the hiring of four (4) additional firefighter/paramedics
Apply for Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG)Wage increases include general wages $107,785.00 (annual COLA/step increases), holiday pay $9,998.00, overtime $10,000.00 (contractual call-back stipend), longevity $900.00, and educational stipends $3,000.00
Operating increases include $5,000.00 for EMS supplies, $10,000.00 for Dispatch, and $12,000.00 in contractual stipends to reimburse firefighters attending the Massachusetts Career Firefighter Training Program
This budget includes a decrease in ambulance lease payments (-$55,000) and a decrease in PPE (-$10,000), moved to capital
Ambulance transport revenue in the amount of $1,077,652 is being used to fund the following FY25 operating expenses:
Overtime $155,000.00 Two full-time employees $219,302.00 ($54,302.00 increase over FY24)Operating expenditures in the amount of $703,350.00 including recurring expenses for leases of two ambulances and one rescue pumper $205,000.00, Dispatch $92,000.00, and ambulance billing $30,000.00