Fire Commission — Burlington, VT
Date: 2025-10-14
Time: 08:30

Burlington Fire Commission Meeting
 Tuesday October 14, 2025 08:30-09:18
 Members Present: Chair Jake Perskinson, Vice Chair Kevin McLaughlin, Linda Sheehey,
 Monica Chapman, and Ashley Bond (via Zoom). Chief Michael Curtin, Deputy Chief of
 Administration Stephen Petit, and Administrative Assistant Meghan Sweeney. BFFA members
Bryan Mathieu, John Husbands, Josh Kirtlink, Christopher Sullivan, Dennis Wilson, Christopher
  Reinfurt, Patrick Stewart, and Battalion Chief McDonough joined for the Commissions and
 stayed to discuss new business. Christopher Sullivan joined for entirety of meeting.
Call to Order – 08:30 am.
Meeting minutes using assistance from AI:
Motion to Amend/Adopt Agenda-
Fire Commission meeting on October 14th, 2025, began with a motion to reorder the agenda,
which was approved. Motion made by Commission McLaughlin and seconded by Sheehey with
all in favor. Old New Business moved to item 5 with Review and Accept Minutes moving to
item 6 and Chief’s Oral Report moving to item 7.
Public Comment –
No comment from member of public.
Commissions –
The commission then conducted the swearing-in ceremony for Christopher Sullivan as captain
and Kevin Alexander as lieutenant, acknowledging their leadership and dedication over the past
year.
Old Business/New Business-
The fire department discussed challenges and successes in responding to calls, particularly in
City Hall Park. They highlighted the high demand and variable nature of overdose calls, noting
that patients are often unreceptive and that police support is not always available. The
department also mentioned changes to the police response model, including the use of CSLs for
mental health calls. The discussion touched on the time and resource demands of these calls, as
well as the importance of data in understanding call patterns.
The discussion focused on safety concerns for firefighters and emergency medical personnel,
particularly regarding physical confrontations and needle stick incidents during calls. The
participants discussed the lack of formal self-defense training for firefighters, despite the
presence of body armor and ballistic helmets. They noted that while some dual-certified police
officer firefighters carry weapons, most EMS personnel are prohibited from doing so, creating a
safety gap in certain situations.
Participants expressed worry about the physical and mental toll on members due to increased
assaults and verbal abuse, as well as the inappropriate use of emergency services for non-urgent
matters. There was agreement on the need to continue discussions with relevant stakeholders,
including the police commission and administration, to address these issues and explore potential
solutions.
The discussion focused on two main topics: the status of a proposed safe injection site in
Burlington and concerns about firefighter safety. While no specific location for the injection site
has been confirmed, there was discussion about whether increased access to such sites might
affect overdose rates, though no concrete data was provided. The conversation then shifted to
concerns about firefighter safety, with one participant suggesting that firefighters might benefit
from carrying non-lethal self-defense tools, though others expressed hesitation about this
proposal, preferring to keep firefighters focused on their primary emergency response duties.

Review and Accept Minutes from August Meeting-
Motion to accept minutes made by Commissioner Chapman and Commissioner McLaughlin.
Seconded by Commissioner Sheehey.

Chief’s Oral Report-
Chief Curtin sent his report to commissioners in advance for review. Additional items discussed:

Repeat Offender Policy Review
The meeting focused on discussing the challenges and opportunities related to addressing repeat
offenders and the impact of policy changes on public safety. Participants highlighted the need for
policy adjustments and increased awareness to reduce the number of repeat incidents,
emphasizing the importance of addressing root causes rather than just symptoms. They also
reviewed data on call volumes, drug-related incidents, and the effectiveness of current resources,
noting a significant drop in overdose confirmations despite a high dispatch rate. The discussion
concluded with a review of heat maps showing high-concentration areas for calls and potential
issues with alarm systems in certain buildings.
Staffing and Operations Update
The team discussed staffing challenges, including 14 open positions due to current vacancies and
6 members on leave, leading to a 19% increase in overtime hours. They highlighted recruitment
efforts with 4 new employees starting next Monday, including 3 lateral transfers and 1
community member. The CRT data for September showed 59 patient contacts, 11 Narcan kits
distributed, and 6 company-level inspections completed. Station 1's floor refinishing project is
nearly complete, and the team participated in community engagement activities including public
education events and firehouse tours.
Fire Department Recruitment and Improvements
The fire department discussed recruitment challenges, noting that while they had enough
candidates for available slots, they decided to defer some candidates to the spring of 2026 due to
tight timelines. They reported receiving 65 entry-level applications and 15 lateral applications,
with 24 candidates tested and 2 selected for final consideration. The department is also working
on various facility improvements across all stations, including apparatus floor repairs, structural
supports, and sprinkler system inspections, with Station 2's floor replacement project nearly
complete and Station 3 beginning engineering phase for dorm renovations.
Department Operations and Safety Updates
The meeting covered several operational updates, including a $124,000 inspection project that
will be implemented in stages, and a successful Coast Guard drill where 7 members participated.
The department discussed plans to enhance water response capabilities, with Chief Aumand
leading efforts to rebuild the technical rescue team, and they received new SCBA equipment.
EMS reported conducting live burns and preparing for paramedic refresher courses, while the
Training Division shared updates on elevator rescue training and upcoming live burns. The Fire
Marshal's office highlighted successful outreach at the farmer's market and efforts to promote
lithium-ion battery safety. The conversation ended with a discussion about the high number of
paramedics in the department and concerns about member well-being, emphasizing the need for
regional and state collaboration on mental health initiatives.

Motion to adjourn made by Commissioner Sheehey and seconded by McLaughlin. All in favor
meeting adjourned at 09:18 am.