Fire Commission — Burlington, VT
Date: 2026-06-09
Time: 08:30

BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401
 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387




 Chief’s Report to the Burlington Fire Commission: April Data Points

Call Volume & Activity Summary:

Total Incidents for the month of April: 880
Total Incidents: (As of 5/1/26) 3,455

 • Fire Incidents: 171
 • EMS: 622
 • Hazmat: 8
 • Technical Rescue: 9
 • Significant Incidents:
 1. 4/1 21 Hyde St. 1st Alarm
 2. 4/10 22 Main St. Winooski – 1st Alarm
 3. 4/23 1500 Spear St. South Burlington - Backyard trailer fire
 4. 4/23 528 Essex Rd. Williston – 3rd Alarm fire




During the same period in 2025 we responded to 866 incidents, a 1.6% increase from last year.
 BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401
 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387




This NERIS diagram shows call volume based on time of day and days of the week.
 BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401
 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387




EMS Data:
The following charts presents monthly data on EMS-confirmed overdose and drug-related incidents in our
community from 2021 through April 2026. It categorizes the top types of substances involved, based on
working diagnoses and secondary impressions gathered in the field.




This chart above shows monthly confirmed overdose/drug-related incidents from 2021 through April 2026. This
graph shows a significant increase in confirmed drug-related overdose and poisoning incidents from 2021
through 2023, with monthly totals rising from single digits in early 2021 to a peak of 47 events in September
2023. Activity remained elevated throughout 2024 and into 2025, with several months exceeding 30 incidents
and another peak of 40 events in October 2025. Data for early 2026 shows a notable decline, with April 2026
reporting 13 events, suggesting a possible recent decrease in overdose-related emergency calls, though
continued monitoring will be important to determine if this trend continues.




This chart shows monthly confirmed overdose and drug-related incidents from 2021 through April 2026 and
highlights that opioid-related overdoses are consistently the most common and volatile driver of events, with
sharp spikes—especially in late 2023, 2024, and mid-2025—followed by cases involving other illicit drugs or
 BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401
 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387




misuse of medications, which often rise and fall in parallel and likely reflect polysubstance use; all other
categories (meth/psychoactive, cocaine, alcohol co-use, and intentional medication overdose) remain relatively
low and stable by comparison, indicating that while multiple substances may be involved in individual
incidents, the overall overdose burden and operational impact are overwhelmingly driven by opioids and
complex drug combinations rather than single-substance events.




This chart shows the number of BFD calls that were dispatched as overdoses each month, compared to how
many were actually confirmed as overdoses once crews arrived on scene. While the total number of overdose-
dispatched calls rises and falls over time, only a portion of those calls are ultimately confirmed by responders.
In most months, confirmed overdoses make up roughly 20–40% of the total, with some variation.

CRT Data for April 2026:

Staffed 9 days for the month of April

  Total Contacts Narcan Kits Wound Care Comfort Care Referrals
 Kits Kit
 30 0 1 0 2
BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401
  Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387
 BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401
 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387




Personnel & Staffing

Total Department Staff: Uniformed Members 88 / Authorized 95 - 1 Civilian Member



 • Minimum Daily Staffing: 22
 • Vacancies: 7
 • Injuries/LOA/FMLA: 9
 • Staff Training Hours: 1,110 Hours
 • Company Level Inspections: 3
 • Preplans Completed: 107

 Overtime Type 2025 Hours 2026 Hours %+-
 Minimum Staffing 1001 1571.5 +56.9%
 Mandatory 124 110 -11.2%
 CRT 306 269 -12%
 Emergency 24.25 12 -50.5%
 Extra Duty Events 36 41 +13.8%




Community Engagement

 • 4/3 BFD Spring Training Seminar
 • 4/15 FMO Community TV Interview
 • 4/17 Flynn School Fire Safety Presentation
 • 4/20 ECH Paramedic Student Precepting
 • 4/23 & 24 BHS Students Ride along Downtown
 • 4/25 Kids Fest at YMCA
 • 4/26 Ride along Engine 1



 Social Media:
 BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401
 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387




 Chief’s Report to the Fire Commission: May Data Points
 June 9, 2026

Call Volume & Activity Summary:

Total Incidents for the month of May: 956
Total Incidents: (As of 6/1/26) 4412

 • Fire Incidents: 196
 • EMS: 689
 • Hazmat: 8
 • Technical Rescue: 16
 • Significant Incidents:
 1. 1st Alarm Structure Fire
 15 Blondin Circle



During the same period in 2025 we responded to 1023 incidents, a 6.5% decrease from last year.
BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401
  Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387
 BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401
 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387




This treemap summarizes the distribution of 870 completed and reviewed incidents by incident category and
type. It reflects only reports that have been finalized and reviewed and does not include incidents that are still
pending completion or awaiting approval, which may result in differences from total incident counts reported
elsewhere.

EMS Data:




 Confirmed drug overdose events have fluctuated significantly over the past five years, with monthly
totals ranging from a low of 7 events in January 2021 to a peak of 47 events in September 2023. Following
elevated activity during 2022–2024, overdose incidents generally declined through late 2025 and early 2026.
May 2026 recorded 25 confirmed overdose events, representing an increase from the previous several months
and the highest monthly total recorded so far in 2026.
 BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401
 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387




This chart shows the number of BFD calls that were dispatched as overdoses each month, compared to how
many were actually confirmed as overdoses once crews arrived on scene. While the total number of overdose-
dispatched calls rises and falls over time, only a portion of those calls are ultimately confirmed by responders.
In most months, confirmed overdoses make up roughly 20–40% of the total, with some variation.

CRT Data for May 2026:

Staffed 6 days for the month of May

  Total Contacts Narcan Kits Wound Care Comfort Care Referrals
 Kits Kit
 27 0 0 0 1
 BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401
 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387




Personnel & Staffing

Total Department Staff: Uniformed Members 92 / Authorized 95 (5 recruits started 5/26)

 ❖ Arie Van Vuuren resigned 5/14/26 and has been hired by a department in Colorado. We wish him the
 best of luck.
 ❖ SFF Class completed
 ❖ FF/Medic Jason Paul received Excellence in Trauma Care award from UVM

 • Minimum Daily Staffing: 22
 • Vacancies: 3 (as of 5/26) Recruits do not count for staffing until completion of academy
 • Injuries/LOA/FMLA: 9
 • Staff Training Hours: 969
 • Company Level Inspections: 3
 • Preplans Completed: 52

 Overtime Type 2025 Hours 2026 Hours %+-
 Minimum Staffing 726 1159.75 +59.7
 Mandatory 185.75 228.5 +23
 CRT 287.5 134.5 -53.2
 Emergency 34.5 0 -100
 Extra Duty Events 119 125 +5
 BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401
 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387




Community Engagement

  • 5/4 Burlington School District Safety Team Meeting
  • 5/5 Champlain Elementary School - Public Education – Engine 5
  • 5/11 Flynn School Tour – Ladder 4
  • 5/11 Ride Along- Ladder 2
  • 5/21 Flynn School Tour – Ladder 4
  • 5/25 Memorial Day Event – Ladder 2, Ambulance 2, Engine 1, Tower 1, Battalion 1
  • 5/25 Ride Along Engine 1 and Engine 3
  • 5/27 Edmunds Elementary School – Public Education
  • 5/27 Fire Safety Education- PP of fire types and fire extinguishers. Live fire training with water cans and
 Heritages Air training prop.
  • 5/30 Girl Scouts Career Fair - Fire Safety Education- Taught fire extinguisher use.
 BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401
 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387




 DIVISION UPDATES:
Training Division:
Eight members completed Swiftwater Rescue Technician training through Vermont EMS Academy.
· Four members attended hands on skills training at Metro Boston Fire School.
· Six members attended hands on Technical Rescue Training through New England Rescue Collaborative.
· Three members attended Rope Rescue Operations with the Vermont USAR team.
· Recruit Academy 26-01 is under way with five new recruits. The Academy is expected to finish on October
2nd.
· The department is nearly finished with Spring Live Burn Training. B shift completed their burn on May 6, C
shift on May 20. A shifts burn is scheduled for June 3rd.
· The department received a grant extension for the Live Burn Training and will begin scheduling another round
of live burns for the Fall.

Operations Division:
4/17: Attended a LEMP meeting with representatives from the Red Cross and VEMA.
· 5/6: Participated in a Live Burn training exercise with B Shift at the Vermont Fire Academy (VFA).
· 5/14: Attended a recognition ceremony at UVMMC for members whose actions during a recent trauma
incident resulted in a life-saving outcome.
· 5/24: Staffed the EOC for the City Marathon; reported no significant events despite heavy rain.
· 6/1: Attended the Boston Fire Department LODD funeral accompanied by a delegation of 11 department
members.
Ongoing & Regular Engagements
· Budgeting: Active participation in budget planning meetings.
· Dispatch: Ongoing attendance at regularly scheduled meetings with the Dispatch Supervisor.
· Fleet Management: Regular meetings regarding the department’s fleet replacement strategy.
· Inter-Agency Coordination: Regular meetings held with BC EMS, the Training Division, and the Fire
Marshal’s Office.
· New Ladder 2: Continued committee and dealer discussions regarding apparatus specifications and necessary
design changes.
· Problem Properties: Consistent attendance and monitoring of the City’s problem properties.
· Public Events: Currently engaged in preparatory meetings for the July 3rd fireworks display at the waterfront.
· Rescue Assets: Actively pursuing grants for technical rescue gear and training; currently awaiting a status
update on the rescue boat grant application submitted to the VT HSU.


FMO Division:
Attended the BHS monthly safety meeting to discuss current fire safety inspections. Also discussed the
importance of reporting all fire occurrences no matter how small. Offered to visit all schools to conduct fire
safety education and train school staff in the use of fire extinguishers. Attended monthly meetings with DPW
and DPI. Attended BFD live burns at the VT Fire Academy.
 BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401
 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387



 EMS Division Update:
LIFEPAK 35 Implementation
The EMS Division continues preparations for deployment of the new LIFEPAK 35 cardiac monitors. Initial
training has been completed, with scenario-based training scheduled prior to implementation. Deployment will
expand advanced monitoring capabilities to reserve ambulances A5 and A6, as well as Car-5, improving fleet
readiness, operational resilience, and equipment standardization across the EMS system.

EMS Data & Strategic Reporting
On May 28, 2026, the EMS Division presented updated EMS utilization data to the Public Safety Committee.
Building on this work, the Division is developing a monthly EMS report designed to move beyond call-volume
statistics and provide trend analysis, strategic insights, and operational recommendations.

Future reporting will incorporate patient demographics, utilization patterns, overdose trends, and other
emerging community indicators to better support operational planning and resource allocation. The first edition
of this enhanced report is anticipated in August 2026.

These initiatives reflect the EMS Division’s continued focus on advancing patient care, operational readiness,
and data-informed decision-making.

Administration Division:
 • Station Projects:
 o Station 1 – Window renovation timeline still TBD
 o Station 1 – Initial stages of kitchen renovation project
 o Station 1 – Basement garage door needs complete replacement
 o Station 1 – Conference room mini-split to be repaired
 o Station 1 – Working with Capt. Burns and Kim Bleakley to repair front ramp.
 o Station 2 – Apparatus floor project is complete, other than plans to stripe apparatus
 o Station 2 – Basement garage door complete replacement needed
 o Station 2 – RTU motor recently replaced.
 o Station 3 – Ongoing planning phase for dorm-room remodel
 o Station 3 – Basement heater requires replacement.
 o Station 3 – Recent completion of significant repairs/replacements to Sprinkler system.

 o  Station 4 & Station 5 – Plan to push for parking lot and front ramp repairs.
 o  All stations – HVAC PM Service was recently completed.
 • Personnel Projects:
 o Collaboration with HR and BC Savoy to roll-out use of UKG for Annual Employee Appraisal
 Process. Training on process and new UKG appraisal tool will be in early June.
 o Collaboration with HR and BC Savoy related to employee onboarding process.
 o Collaboration with HR and BFFA relative to job descriptions.
 o Finalizing preparations for new hires
 • Policy Projects:
 o Working with city attorney’s office to finalize changes to Ride-Along Policy and the
 implementation of a cost recovery fee when completing background checks for observers.
 o Exploring the potential for CAD shared services in collaboration with City IT.
Burlington Fire Department
EMS Analysis
Fire Commission Presentation
JUNE 9 TH , 2026
 Situation Table 2026
 Data 1/1/2026 – 5/26/2026

Through the first five months of 2026, BFD has brought 12 people to
the Situation Table. That is the most of any participating agency.


14 different agencies have assisted these people as
members of small outreach teams:
Adult Protective Services, Age Well, Burlington Community Justice Center (CJC), Burlington Fire Department,
Burlington Housing Authority (BHA), Burlington Police Department (BPD), Champlain Valley Office of
Economic Opportunity (CVOEO), Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS), Community Health Centers –
Safe Harbor, Department for Children and Families – Economic Services, Howard Center - Street Outreach,
Turning Point of Chittenden County, UVM Medical Center, Vermont Chronic Care Initiative (VCCI)



7 of these 12 people had their overall risk lowered and were connected to services.
1 situation remains open & active.


 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.
 Introduction
Our previous analysis looked at our impact cohort: individuals who used EMS three or
more times in a given month. We found that a relatively small percentage of users
accounted for a disproportionately large share of EMS calls.




We then sought to further examine types of calls to better understand what they reveal about
EMS system utilization and community needs.



Using provider-entered data fields describing patient symptoms and impressions, we
developed 12 categories to better identify patterns and trends.




 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.
 Diagnosis / Symptom Categories
 Categorized EMS incidents




 Incidents
 categorized
 based on
Source: providers’
Siren ‘Working
 Diagnosis’
 and ‘Primary
Data Symptom’
1/1/2025–
4/30/2026 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.
 Diagnosis / Symptom Categories
 Categorized EMS incidents




 Incidents
 categorized
 based on
Source: providers’
Siren ‘Working
 Diagnosis’
 and ‘Primary
Data Symptom’
1/1/2025–
4/30/2026 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.
 Diagnosis / Symptom Categories




 About one-quarter of EMS
 incidents are ‘No Signs or
 Symptoms’, substance
 related, or psychiatric /
 behavior related.
Source:
Siren


Data
1/1/2025–
4/30/2026 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.
 Transport Rate by Category




Source:
Siren


Data
1/1/2025–
4/30/2026 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.
 Top Transported Patients
 (Each column represents one person)




Source:
Siren


Data
1/1/2025–
4/30/2026 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.
 Categories for Top Transported Patients
 (Each column represents one person)




Source:
Siren


Data
1/1/2025–
4/30/2026 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.
 Housing Status for Top Transported Patients
 (Each column represents one person)




Source:
Siren


Data
1/1/2025–
4/30/2026 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.
 Call Categories by Housing Status


 Calls to the
 homeless
 population have
 been twice as
 likely to be
 diagnosed as
 ‘No Signs or
 Symptoms’, a
 ‘Psych /
 Behavior
 Problem’, or an
 ‘Alcohol /
 Substance’
 issue.



Source:
Siren


Data
1/1/2025–
3/31/2026 Total calls = 1,566 Total calls = 7,583
 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.
 ‘No Signs or Symptoms’ Transport Rate
 by Housing Status

 83% of homeless
 calls diagnosed
 as ‘No Signs or
 Symptoms’ were
 transported to
 UVMMC;

 96% between
 December and
 April

 48% of those
 calls for non-
 homeless were
 transported.




  Source:
  Siren

Data Monthly n values: 14 22 20 19 12 13 13 11 10 17 11 19 14 26 6 16 52 44 52 29 47 38 54 42 38 30 39 41 48 33 27 31
1/1/2025–
4/30/2026 Total calls = 243 Total calls = 645 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.
 Next Steps
Refining Definitions
Continue to refine call categories, acuity measures, and clinical indicators.

System Utilization
Evaluate unit hour utilization and operational workload.

Healthcare Integration
Explore correlations between EMS utilization and Emergency Department demand.

Service Development
Use findings to inform future EMS response models and system planning.

Strategy and Vision
Data-informed decision making to strengthen EMS system performance and community
response.


 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.
Appendix – Category Definitions




 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.
Appendix – Category Definitions




 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.
Appendix – Category Definitions




 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.
Appendix – Category Definitions




 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.
Appendix – Category Definitions




 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.

Burlington Fire Commission Meeting
 Tuesday June 9, 2026 08:30-09:21
 Members Present: Chair Jake Perskinson, Vice Chair Kevin McLaughlin, Linda Sheehey, and
 Ashley Bond (via Zoom). Chief Curtin, Deputy Chief Stephen Petit, Battalion Chief of EMS
  Marsha McCombie, Data Analyst Jeff Nicholson, Captain Kyle Blake, and Administrative
 Assistant Meghan Sweeney. Member of public via Zoom Philippe. Trotin.
Call to Order –
The meeting was called to order June 9, 2026 at 08:30 am with quorum.

Motion to Amend/Adopt Agenda-
The chair for a motion to adopt the agenda as submitted. Motion moved by Commissioner
McLaughlin and seconded by Commissioner Sheehey. Approved by acclamation.
Public Comment –
No comment from member of public.
Accept Minutes from April Meeting-
Commissioner McLaughlin motioned to accept minutes as written. Commissioner Sheehey
seconded the motion. With no objections minutes accepted as written.
Commissions –
Brief commission business included acknowledgments of commissioned individual firefighter
Ian McKinnon. Members on shift joined for the commissions.
Chief’s Oral Report-
Summary:
Please reference Agenda Packet for reports that Chief Curtin and BC McCombie provided
to Commission
The following is summary from AI:

* Chief Curtin presented operational statistics for May 2026:
- 956 incidents during May.
- 4,412 incidents year-to-date through June 1.
- Significant incident: Blondin Circle structure fire.
- Overall, call volume approximately 6.5% lower than the same period in 2025.
- Majority of calls continue to occur during 5pm to 6am hours.
- 25 confirmed overdose incidents reported in May.
- Community Response Team (CRT) staffed six days, completed 27 patient contacts, and
generated one referral.
- Arie Van Vuuren resigned to accept employment with another department.
- Senior Firefighter promotional class completed.
- Firefighter/Paramedic Jason Paul received a UVM Excellence in Trauma Care Award.
- Department staffing remains challenged, with three vacancies and nine members unavailable
due to injury, leave, or FMLA. (5 new recruits started 5/26 but will not count towards minimum
staffing until October when recruit academy is completed)
- Members completed 969 hours of training and conducted numerous inspections and community
outreach events.
EMS
Chief McCombie, Captain Blake, and Jeff presented an extensive review of EMS utilization data.

Topics included:
- Emerging drug trends, including medetomidine and a highly potent synthetic opioid.
- Analysis of EMS call categories and system utilization.
- Identification of high-frequency EMS users.
- Review of call volume involving psychiatric/behavioral issues, substance use, and patients
presenting with no significant symptoms.
- Discussion regarding potential system mismatch where EMS may not always be the most
appropriate response resource.
- Analysis of housed versus unhoused populations and EMS demand.
- Examination of winter transport patterns, particularly the use of emergency departments as de
facto warming shelters.
Department leadership outlined several next steps:
- Improve EMS documentation quality.
- Measure unit utilization hours.
- Expand collaboration with UVM Medical Center and community partners.
- Explore alternative service delivery models.
- Launch a monthly EMS performance and trend report beginning August 2026.
- Add future reporting metrics related to aging populations, language access needs, and
community health trends.

Commission discussion focused on resource utilization, emergency department impacts,
coordination with police and social service agencies, and opportunities for prevention-focused
interventions.


Admin
* Administrative updates included:
- Facilities updates included:
- Station 1 window replacement project remains in progress.
- Planning continues for kitchen renovations at Station 1.
- Station 2 apparatus floor replacement project completed.
- Planned replacement of rooftop HVAC components and garage door systems.
- Parking lot and accessibility improvements planned at Stations 4 and 5.
- Continued planning and feasibility review for Station 3 dormitory and living space
improvements.
- Implementation of UKG software for employee evaluations and performance management.
- Continued refinement of onboarding procedures.
- Five recruits currently attending academy training.
- Emphasis on maintaining a diverse hiring pipeline.
- Proposed revisions to the ride-along program, including background checks and administrative
fees for certain participants.
- Preliminary discussions regarding shared CAD services with external agencies.
Training Division
- Eight members completed Vermont EMS Academy supported technician certification.
- Three members achieved Rope Rescue Operations certification.
- Completion of live-fire training evolutions.
- Participation by the Mayor in training activities.
- Extension of grant funding allowing additional live-fire training in fall 2026.
- Upcoming train-the-trainer roof rope rescue course involving eight department members.
Operations Division

- Successful staffing and support of the Burlington Marathon through the Emergency Operations
Center.
- Ongoing design work related to the future ladder truck replacement project.
- Review of a recent apartment building fire response.
- Recognition of a civilian who assisted in evacuating an autistic resident during the incident,
with consideration of a civilian commendation award.
Old/New Business-

* Discussed having another facilities tour for the commissioners. Chief Curtin will send an email
to determine date possibilities.
* Would like to look into fall for date for awards ceremony. Possibly see if Burlington High
School is an option for hosting the event.

Adjournment-
Motion to adjourn made by Commissioner Sheehey and seconded by Commissioner McLaughlin
at 09:21.