05/28/2026
In light of our recent house fire, we wanted to highlight the importance of staffing and how it affects our operation as a fire department.
In firefighting, we always plan for and assume the worst until proven otherwise. The scenario our firefighters faced earlier this week is a prime example of that. When firefighters arrived, it was 11:30 at night, a time when many people are already sleeping. They also found several vehicles in the driveway, which is something firefighters look for to indicate whether anyone might still be inside a burning building.
There was heavy fire at the rear of the residence that had already traveled the length of the attic and was showing from the front of the building as well. To add to this, firefighters received an unconfirmed report that there may have been one individual and two pets still inside the building. At any rate, every building is considered occupied until a primary and secondary search confirms otherwise. When the front door was forced, firefighters encountered heavy smoke banked down to the floor with zero visibility.
In previous years, at staffing levels of just three or four firefighters on the first-arriving engine, the company officer would have had to make a very difficult decision on how to split resources between conducting the initial fire attack and/or beginning a potentially life-saving search. All of these tasks are manpower-intensive, and with staffing far below NFPA standards, it created a dangerous situation.
In years past — and even still today, to a slightly lesser degree — we have relied heavily on mutual aid and the callback of off-duty members to function as our additional fire companies at incidents. Today more than ever, surrounding departments are busier, meaning a mutual aid company may not be readily available. Additionally, more of our members now live outside of North Reading, and off-duty callback takes much longer for firefighters to arrive at the station, gear up, and respond.
While our new staffing levels are still not at NFPA 1710 standards, they are much improved. Currently, three of our four groups are staffed with seven firefighters, and one group is staffed with six, with the intended goal of having every group staffed with eight firefighters 24/7 in the coming year.
The fire on Monday night — handled by a six-firefighter group — was a prime example of how this increased staffing allows us to operate more effectively and safely. While the initial engine conducted an aggressive fire attack, established a water supply, and threw ground ladders to the second floor in case they were needed, the second engine was able to simultaneously begin a coordinated search of the structure. Thankfully, as it turned out, no one was home at the time of the blaze.
The outsourcing of dispatch and the hiring of additional firefighters now allow us to operate more efficiently and effectively. It allows us to handle multiple calls at once, whereas before we could only handle one emergency at a time. It allows us to respond to serious emergencies with more help when it is immediately needed. In our industry, seconds and minutes can make the difference between life and death.
Again, while we are not yet where we should be according to NFPA staffing standards, we are significantly improved from where we were just a year ago. For that, we are very grateful to the residents of North Reading, the Select Board, Town Administrator, Finance Committee, and Chief for prioritizing public safety by giving the Fire Department the personnel and equipment it needs.
You cannot put a price on human life, and for allowing us to better serve the residents of North Reading and beyond, we sincerely thank you.
