09/02/2026
A Message About Teamwork, Respect, and Our Fire Department
After reflecting on the August 31,2026 Board of Finance Special Meeting, I feel compelled to say something about the comments made regarding Fire Department members and their attendance at town meetings and training.
As someone who has dedicated a significant part of my life to emergency services and to the Town of Thompson, It is our believe these comments deserve to be addressed.
Our firefighters are volunteers. They give their time freely to protect our neighbors, friends, families, and community. They respond to calls at all hours, attend training after working full-time jobs, maintain equipment, participate in department activities, and continue to educate themselves so they can provide the best possible service.
The Fire Chief is one example of that commitment. He spent approximately six months attending Fire Inspector training, investing his own time and effort to gain additional knowledge and qualifications that can directly benefit the Town of Thompson. That kind of commitment should not be overlooked.
It is also important to recognize that virtually every volunteer fire department faces challenges with maintaining adequate staffing during both daytime and nighttime hours. People work different shifts, have family responsibilities, travel for work, and have other obligations that can affect their ability to respond at any given time. This is not unique to Thompson; it is a challenge facing volunteer and combination fire departments across the country.
That does not mean we shouldn’t continue looking for ways to improve our response and participation. In fact, it means we should be working together to identify solutions that support our volunteers and strengthen emergency services for the community.
If there are legitimate concerns about attendance, training, meetings, or the operation of the Fire Department, those concerns should be brought directly to the department leadership so they can be discussed openly and professionally.
Publicly questioning the commitment of a department and its members during a town meeting is, in my opinion, not the most productive way to address those concerns. A direct conversation between town leadership and department leadership would provide a better opportunity to understand the challenges, discuss expectations, and work toward solutions.
We should be working toward the same goal.
The First Selectman, Board of Finance, Fire Department, Police Department, EMS, Public Works, and every other town department should be viewed as members of one team—the Town of Thompson.
That means we may disagree. We may have difficult budget discussions. We may have different opinions about how taxpayer money should be spent. But we should be able to sit down together, communicate respectfully, and work toward solutions without creating unnecessary division.
Division doesn’t make Thompson stronger. Teamwork does.
If we want our volunteers to continue stepping up, getting trained, taking on additional responsibilities, and answering the call when our community needs them, then we need to show them that their efforts are valued and respected.
Nobody is asking for special treatment.
We are asking for respect, communication, accountability, and a unified approach to serving the Town of Thompson.
We are all on the same team. We all live here. We all have a stake in this community. And we should never lose sight of that.
🚒 Support your volunteers. Respect their commitment. Work together. Stay unified.
Thompson is stronger when we stand together.
Thank you
