Fire Commission — Burlington, VT
Date: 2025-04-08
Time: 08:30

BURLINGTON FIRE COMMISSION
 Minutes of the Meeting
 April 8, 2025

These are the minutes of the April 8, 2025, Meeting of the Burlington Fire Commission. The meeting convened
at 08:30 hours via Zoom and in person with Commissioners McLaughlin, Chapman, Perkinson, and Sheehey.
Commission Bond attended via Zoom. Chief LaChance, Deputy Chief Petit, Battalion Chief McCombie, and
Administrative Assistant Meghan Sweeney were also present.

Call to Order
Commissioner McLaughlin called the meeting to order at 08:30.

Motion to Adopt Agenda
Commissioner McLaughlin asked for a motion to adopt the agenda. Motion made by Commissioner Sheehey
and seconded by Commissioner Perkinson

Public Comment
No members of public present.

Review and Accept Minutes from the December Meeting
Motion to accept minutes made by Commissioner Chapman and seconded by Commission Sheehey.

Summary of Meeting
Meeting summary with AI Companion – The following minutes have been generated by AI and while
they have been reviewed are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Quick recap
The meeting covered leadership changes in the Fire Commission, with Ashley resigning as chair and
Jacob Perkinson being nominated and voted in as the new chair. Various operational aspects of the
Burlington Fire Department were discussed, including the Community Response Team's initiatives, new
EMS protocols, staffing changes, and increased call volumes. The department also addressed budget
considerations, including the allocation of a city bond for fleet and building improvements, as wel l as the
need for additional personnel and ongoing grant applications.
Next steps
 Chief LaChance to continue monitoring budget and staffing needs for FY26.
 BC Marsha McCombie to continue tracking and analyzing CRT data for frequent contacts.
 BC Troy Ruggles to monitor the status of AFG grants before spending the allocated funds.
 Chief LaChance to continue discussions with city officials regarding future staffing increases.
 Fire Department leadership to explore efficiencies in response models as call volumes increase.
 Chief LaChance and Ingrid Jonas to continue developing a comprehensive public safety system plan.
 Fire Department to proceed with the purchase of the new Car 5 (Ford Explorer) for multiple uses.
 Chief LaChance to finalize the MOU with the State for fire marshal services in Burlington.
 Fire Department to implement new EMS protocols by May 1st.
 Fire Department to continue planning for the potential new combined fire and police building.
Summary
Burlington Fire Department Operations Update
The meeting covers several topics related to the Burlington Fire Department's operations and initiatives.
The Community Response Team (CRT) is discussed, highlighting their work beyond just supplies and
contacts, including building relationships with other social services and staffing a community resource
desk at the library. The department is exploring community paramedicine and tracking data on patients
who frequently request social services. New EMS protocols are being implemented, including the use of
CPAP machines for EMTs and guidelines for pediatric transport of newborns. Recent promotions w ithin
the department are mentioned, as well as an increase in overall call volume and overtime. The mayor's
ride-along with the CRT is noted, and the passing of a general obligation bond will allow for new fleet
purchases in the future.
BFD Discusses Bond, Radio Upgrade, and Staffing
BFD discussed the city's 20 million dollar bond, which covers fleet and buildings. The fleet manager is
considering the purchase of one fire apparatus and one ambulance. BFD also mentioned the radio system
upgrade and the need to spend bond proceeds by August. The mayor's speech highlighted the situation
table, which aims to connect cases with the right people. BFD also mentioned the purchase of a new car
for the BC and Ems. The department is in a holding pattern with Afg grants, and the training division
identified the need for more personnel. BFD also discussed the city's budget and the need for increased
personnel. The department is working on a staffing study to identify the need for more personnel.

Old/New Business
Ashley Resigns, Jacob Nominated as Chair
In the meeting, Ashley announced her resignation as the chair of the Fire Commission, with her term
ending in 2026. She expressed her gratitude to the Commission members and department leaders for their
support over the past six years. Ashley then nominated Jacob Perki nson as the new chair. Commissioner
McLaughlin seconded the nomination. All commissioners in favor. After no other nominations were
made, Commissioner Perkinson is willing to stand for the nomination. Commissioner McLaughlin asked
for a vote. Commissioners McLaughlin, Bond, Sheehey and Chapman voted in favor of the nomination.

Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 09:20 by motion of Commissioner McLaughlin and seconded by Commissioner
Sheehey.
 BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401
 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387




April 08, 2025
Chief’s Report to the Burlington Fire Commission

Personnel: We currently have five vacancies. BC E. Webster worked his last shift on April 01.
We will miss BC Webster and wish him well into the future. F. Aumand was promoted to the
rank of Battalion Chief and will serve as the shift commander on A-Shift. The captain’s
promotional process took place in February. We had three lieutenants participate in the process.
Kyle Blake was promoted to Captain on March 10, and Tim Burns was promoted to Captain on
April 07. The final promotion celebrated this month was R. Ploof to the rank of Lieutenant.
The city is currently in contract negotiations with the BFFA.

Responses: In the first three months of 2025, the fire department has responded to 2633 calls for
 service. During the same period in 2024, we responded to 2477, a 6.30% increase.




1|Page
 2022 - 2025 RESPONSES BY MONTH
 1057 1066
 1102 1054
 1102 1119
 850 999 1004
 924 949 953
 908 825
 902 937 919 879
 866 917 883 890
 887 838 857 979 837
 834
 695 794 784
 762
 734 808
 762 724 749
 786
 615




 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC



Overtime: February 01, 2025 – March 31, 2025
 2024 2025
 • Minimum Staffing Overtime: 912.25 hrs 1350.75 hrs
 • Mandatory Minimum Staffing Overtime: 90.5 hrs 185 hrs
The above data shows a 48% increase in Minimum Staffing Overtime and a 104% increase in
Mandatory Minimum Staffing Overtime during the same period last year. Overall, the minimum
staffing overtime burden on the employees and city budget increased by 53%.
Note: The above overtime burden on the staff accounts for Minimum Staffing Overtime, which
enables us to meet the minimum staffing levels with 22 people. This does not account for extra
duty jobs or CRT overtime. In the same period, our staff committed to the following extra duty
and CRT overtime:
 • Extra Duty: 100.5 hrs
 • CRT Overtime: 786 hrs

Fleet: The general obligation bond passed on the March ballot on Town Meeting Day. We are
working toward readiness to order apparatus in August once the funding is available. The total
funds available to the fire department fleet have not been finalized. We will realize a prepay
bonus if we can prepay for new suppression apparatus at the time of purchase.

Buildings: The RFP to replace the apparatus floor at Station 2 has been awarded, and the work
has begun. There will be challenges to work through regarding the housing of response vehicles
during construction. We’ve created a response plan to minimize any delays in our response
during this time.

Radio System Upgrade: The Final steps in this project include the radio and antenna
infrastructure move to the roof of City Place. This is in the plan and has been budgeted for. The
timeline for the move is expected to be before the summer.




2|Page
Community Response Team Pilot: The CRT's staffing has remained consistent at around 40
hours per week. We implemented the PREVENT initiative, which allows our providers to offer
Suboxone to anyone who has suffered an opioid overdose and refuses transport to the hospital. It
also enables us to connect individuals with services that may lead to additional treatment. In
March, we successfully administered one dose. The patient was then transported to the hospital
and was enrolled in the STARS program for OUD.
We are working with the city data team to track high-use individuals—a graph showing that data
is below. Conversations have begun around transitioning the CRT model that mainly focuses on
the opioid crisis, moving toward more of a community paramedic model, which would allow for
patient follow-up and a more holistic outreach to our high-use individuals, not all of whom
struggle with OUD.




3|Page
We are tracking data from the CRT deployment. Below are some key metrics that demonstrate
the program's impact. This data shows the number of people the team has touched, the quantity
of wound care supplies distributed, comfort care supplies provided, Narcan leave-behind kits
distributed, the number of referrals, direct phone requests, and incidents where the team went
above and beyond in their duties.




Administrative Division:
  • Introduced revised Annual Employee Appraisal Process (SOG and department-wide
 training)
  • Lateral Academy is scheduled to start on April 21, 2025. Currently, four lateral hires are
 anticipated.
  • Entry-level hiring process – anticipate opening recruitment and application process after
 July 1, 2025 and working with a few members who have expressed interest in assisting
 with recruitment.
  • The Station 2 Apparatus floor replacement project has begun and is expected to take
 approximately 3 months.




4|Page
 • The Station 1 apparatus floor and stairwell repair project has gone out to bid. Timeline
 TBD.
 • Station 4 – obtaining estimates to replace a section of cast iron pipe that runs along the
 ceiling of the apparatus bay and has recently been problematic.
 • Work with state and local partners to update the local emergency management plan.
 • FF Sean O’Connor has reformatted all SOGs and created SOG quizzes/answer keys for
 all SOGs. These will be posted shortly, along with all department forms, and shared via
 Share Point, which will allow members access without needing to be on the fire drive.

Operations Division:
 • Worked on purchasing of new Car 5 with Fleet Manager getting quotes on vehicle,
 radios, emergency lights, wiring, and decals
 • Work with UVM and the City Attorney's office to establish a formal contract on special
 events due to the past of last-minute contract changes
 • Worked with USCG and City Attorney's office to finalize MOU
 • Planning for the 3rd Annual Burlington Fire Department Spring Training Seminar on
 April 04. The seminar was a success, with approximately 150 attendees. Attendees were
 from Vermont, New England, and beyond.
 • Finalized the purchasing agreement for new air packs that are up to the latest NFPA
 standard
 • Worked with Dr. Wolfson to find a solution to a data issue that the state is requiring for
 PREVENT
 • Ordered Fire and EMS equipment that needed replacing and to outfit spare apparatus
 • Worked on Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Response SOG, equipment, etc.
 • Reviewing recommendations regarding PFAS-free turnout gear.


Fire Marshal’s Office:
 • The FMO and Deputy Chief of Operations are still meeting weekly with SD Ireland on
 the Main St. construction project to maintain the fire department's access.
 • City Place North Tower has started to erect steel, and the South Tower is going along
 smoothly.
 • The new high school is progressing well. This is an extensive project that is progressing
 slowly, but they are staying on schedule.
 • We have been collaborating with the water resources department to upgrade fire hydrants
 and improve communication between our departments, ensuring that everyone is aware
 of each department's specific needs.
 • Looking into how to pre-plan the entire City to achieve an accurate accounting of our fire
 alarm and sprinkler systems. I am working with Vanessa Santos Eugenio from the City
 HR Department to hire an intern for this project.




5|Page
Training Division:
 • Congratulations to the Rainy-Day Fund for a very successful training Seminar this past
 Friday, April 04.
 • The department did a facility tour/refresher at the UVM Environmental Safety Facility.
 • We held a Leadership/Officer development program with Deputy Commissioner of VT
 Public Safety Daniel Batsie presenting two interesting topics.
 • We are in a holding pattern on our AFG Grant funds for live fire training as a result of the
 current review of federal spending.
 • We are preparing for Recruit Class 25-01, which will begin on April 21st.
 • We will conduct a fire suppression tour, review, and refresher for all department
 members on the UVM Medical Center campus next week.
 • Training will take place with the Vermont Railroad at the Burlington railyard at the end
 of the month. Reviewing the rail yard operations and train safety.
 • We have members attending a Rope Operations class with the Vermont Fire Academy as
 well as Swiftwater and Boat rescue operations.

EMS Division:
The Burlington Fire Department EMS Division continues to advance its mission through cross-
agency collaboration, innovative practices, and statewide engagement.
 • A key success has been the ongoing partnership between our Community Response Team
 (CRT) and the Burlington Police Department’s CARES mental health clinicians. This
 collaboration, now more than seven months strong, has significantly enhanced our
 community-centered response model. Together, our teams have been responding to calls
 involving individuals experiencing mental health or substance use crises, ensuring they
 receive timely, compassionate, and clinically appropriate interventions.
 • In addition, the EMS Division has launched an important new feature within our
 electronic patient care reporting system. This allows EMS providers to “flag” patients
 whom they believe may benefit from additional social or mental health services. These
 reports are reviewed for follow-up, either through BFD channels or in coordination with
 the Community and Response Engagement Services (CARES) team. Since September 1,
 2024, 366 reports have been flagged. Notably, 29 individuals identified through this
 system have accounted for 8.71% of the total EMS call volume in the past seven months.
 Of these, 21 patients are now receiving direct, targeted support through BFD and
 CARES, which includes coordination with case managers, healthcare providers, and
 judicial services when needed.
 • In addition to our local initiatives, BFD is actively participating in the review and
 implementation of the 2025 Vermont Statewide EMS Protocols. Our department is
 preparing for the statewide implementation of these updated protocols, which are
 scheduled to take effect on May 1, 2025. This comprehensive update is designed to
 enhance clinical consistency, safety, and adaptability across Vermont's EMS agencies.
 Training and transition planning are currently underway to ensure our crews are fully
 equipped and ready for a smooth transition.




6|Page
 Burlington FD
 Address: 136 S Winooski Ave, Burlington, VT, 05401




February / March Total Incidents




INCIDENT TYPE SERIES NAME INCIDENT TYPE TOTAL CALLS

False Alarm & False Call 700 - False alarm or false call, other 5

False Alarm & False Call 7001 - False alarm caused by 1
 Contractor/Construction

False Alarm & False Call 712 - Direct tie to FD, malicious false alarm 2

False Alarm & False Call 730 - System malfunction, other 3

False Alarm & False Call 731 - Sprinkler activation due to malfunction 6

False Alarm & False Call 733 - Smoke detector activation due to 40
 malfunction

False Alarm & False Call 735 - Alarm system sounded due to malfunction 17

False Alarm & False Call 736 - CO detector activation due to malfunction 4

False Alarm & False Call 740 - Unintentional transmission of alarm, other 12

False Alarm & False Call 743 - Smoke detector activation, no fire - 94
 unintentional

False Alarm & False Call 744 - Detector activation, no fire - unintentional 5




Report ID: 51595 This report was generated on : 04/07/2025 10:57 AM Page: 1 of 3
 Burlington FD
February / March Total Incidents
 Address: 136 S Winooski Ave, Burlington, VT,
 05401




INCIDENT TYPE SERIES NAME INCIDENT TYPE TOTAL CALLS

False Alarm & False Call 745 - Alarm system activation, no fire - 24
 unintentional

False Alarm & False Call 746 - Carbon monoxide detector activation, no 9
 CO

Fire 100 - Fire, other 1

Fire 111 - Building fire 2

Fire 112 - Fires in structure other than in a building 1

Fire 113 - Cooking fire, confined to container 6

Fire 118 - Trash or rubbish fire, contained 3

Fire 141 - Forest, woods or wildland fire 1

Fire 142 - Brush or brush-and-grass mixture fire 1

Fire 150 - Outside rubbish fire, other 1

Fire 160 - Special outside fire, other 1

Good Intent 600 - Good intent call, other 28

Good Intent 611 - Dispatched & canceled en route 25

Good Intent 621 - Wrong location 1

Good Intent 622 - No incident found on arrival at dispatch 47
 address

Good Intent 651 - Smoke scare, odor of smoke 3

Good Intent 661 - EMS call, party transported by non-fire 76
 agency

Good Intent 671 - HazMat release investigation w/no 1
 HazMat

Hazardous Condition 410 - Combustible/flammable gas/liquid 2
 condition, other

Hazardous Condition 412 - Gas leak (natural gas or LPG) 5

Hazardous Condition 422 - Chemical spill or leak 1

Hazardous Condition 424 - Carbon monoxide incident 7

Hazardous Condition 440 - Electrical wiring/equipment problem, other 3

Hazardous Condition 443 - Breakdown of light ballast 1

Hazardous Condition 444 - Power line down 5

Hazardous Condition 460 - Accident, potential accident, other 1

Hazardous Condition 463 - Vehicle accident, general cleanup 10

Rescue & EMS 321 - EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with 1124
 injury

Rescue & EMS 322 - Motor vehicle accident with injuries 19




Report ID: 51595 This report was generated on : 04/07/2025 10:57 AM Page: 2 of 3
 Burlington FD
 February / March Total Incidents
 Address: 136 S Winooski Ave, Burlington, VT,
 05401




 INCIDENT TYPE SERIES NAME INCIDENT TYPE TOTAL CALLS

 Rescue & EMS 323 - Motor vehicle/pedestrian accident (MV 2
 Ped)

 Rescue & EMS 324 - Motor vehicle accident with no injuries. 8

 Rescue & EMS 331 - Lock-in (if lock out , use 511 ) 1

 Rescue & EMS 353 - Removal of victim(s) from stalled elevator 11

 Rescue & EMS 381 - Rescue or EMS standby 8

 Rupture/Explosion 211 - Overpressure rupture of steam pipe or 1
 pipeline

 Service Call 510 - Person in distress, other 1

 Service Call 511 - Lock-out 1

 Service Call 520 - Water problem, other 5

 Service Call 522 - Water or steam leak 4

 Service Call 541 - Animal problem 1

 Service Call 550 - Public service assistance, other 8

 Service Call 551 - Assist police or other governmental 4
 agency

 Service Call 552 - Police matter 4

 Service Call 553 - Public service 6

 Service Call 554 - Assist invalid 34

 Service Call 555 - Defective elevator, no occupants. 3
 Includes Elevator alarms.

 Service Call 561 - Unauthorized burning 4

 Special Incident 9002 - Test Incident 1

 Special Incident 911 - Citizen complaint 1

 Total 1706




 Report ID: 51595 This report was generated on : 04/07/2025 10:57 AM Page: 3 of 3



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 Burlington FD
 Address: 136 S Winooski Ave, Burlington, VT, 05401




February / March Training Report




TOPIC NAMES TOTAL HOURS

AERIAL 2102 1

Aerial Operations 27

Aerial Operations, COMPANY, Pump Operations 28

Aerial Operations, Driver Training 3

BEHEALTH, BFD-PEER Fitness 236

BFD ADMIN 148

BFD SKILLS, Search & Rescue 3

BLDG CONST, Facilities Tour 6

BLDG CONST, Facilities Tour, Pre-Planning 6

CASESTUDY 1

CASESTUDY, FIRE BEHAV, Fire Officer 52

COLLAPSE 10




Report ID: 52691 This report was generated on : 04/07/2025 10:54 AM Page: 1 of 3
 Burlington FD
February / March Training Report
 Address: 136 S Winooski Ave, Burlington, VT,
 05401




TOPIC NAMES TOTAL HOURS

COMPANY 55

COMPANY, ENGINE OPS 12

Driver Training 30

EMS CE 3

EMS CERT 7

EMS NEW 12

ENGINE OPS 3

EXTRICATION 9

FIRE BEHAV 96

FORC ENTRY 2

Facilities Tour 146

Facilities Tour, Inspection, Pre-Planning 11

Fire Inspector CE's 3

Fire Investigator CE's 24

Fire Officer 148

Fire Officer , Officer Development 5

Ground Ladder Training 3

Hose Line Stretches 9

Inspection 11

LEADERSHIP

NEW 9

NREMT Cardiology 7

NREMT Trauma 7

OPEN WATER, WATER RESC 12

Officer Development 20

PHYS FIT 38

Photovoltaic Safety 1

Power Saw Use/Familiarization 2

Pre-Planning 2

Pump Operations 43

RESPIRATORY 11

ROPE OPS 6

ROPE OPS, ROPES 17




Report ID: 52691 This report was generated on : 04/07/2025 10:54 AM Page: 2 of 3
 Burlington FD
 February / March Training Report
 Address: 136 S Winooski Ave, Burlington, VT,
 05401




 TOPIC NAMES TOTAL HOURS

 ROPES 5

 TRUCK OPS 9

 VT EMS Protocol Review 22

 VTGASHAZMAT 133

 Total 1450




 Description: Total member training hours for last calendar month




 Report ID: 52691 This report was generated on : 04/07/2025 10:54 AM Page: 3 of 3



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 Burlington FD
 Address: 136 S Winooski Ave, Burlington, VT, 05401




 Total General Fire Safety Inspections February / March

 FIRE STATION TOTAL INSPECTIONS COMPLETED

 Central - Station 1 5

 Station 2 4

 Station 3 12

 Station 4 4

 Station 5 4

 Total 29




 Report ID: 50255 This report was generated on : 04/07/2025 10:55 AM Page: 1 of 1



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