2008 Candia Fire-Rescue Report

Candia Fire-Rescue Department

Once again, 2008 continued to be another step forward in every year becoming more challenging than the past!  We once again continued to respond to an ever increasing number of requests for assistance, participate in training activities, perform safety inspections, provide public education and outreach, and maintain equipment and apparatus readiness.  However, the heavy snows at the beginning of the year, the multi-day Ice Storm of December as well as a huge increase in our total call volume continued to bring new challenges. In 2008, our members responded to another record of 447 calls for service (a 12% increase), provided 1,917 hours of call response (a 24% increase), 1,280 hours of training and over 2,500 hours of station duty, inspection, public outreach activities and other services.  In addition, many members continue to take individual courses to attain advanced fire and medical certification and have collectively devoted over 1000 hours of additional training.

As in past years, we continue to benefit from grants and gifts that allow us to improve the delivery of services at minimal cost to the taxpayers.  In 2008, we were awarded an $11,000.00 grant to hire an intern to help increase our recruitment efforts, complete various tasks to maintain our statutory obligations and to provide limited weekday response coverage. This has been very valuable in the face of diminishing coverage during this most critical period.  We are also grateful to the Candia Volunteer Firefighters Association who raised funds and  donated over $4,300.00 in vehicle extrication equipment to the Department. It is through grants and the fund raising activities such as this that we are able to continue to expand our services and capabilities at a reduced cost to the taxpayers.

We are pleased to report that we continue to add new, qualified members to the department even though there is a national trend for a reduction in volunteerism. However, like many other all volunteer departments, our membership has been in a state of flux with a number of members needing to resign or retire due to personal commitments .  We are pleased to note, however,  that our recruitment efforts have resulted in a number of new, qualified members joining the department. These men and women are not only from Candia, but we have been successful in recruiting much needed non-resident professionals. Indeed, our non-resident members are some of our most active participants. Our Department continues to provide the progressive and professional atmosphere that attracts these unpaid professionals.

In 2009, we will continue our efforts to find ways of improving the delivery of emergency services to the Town and its residents wherever we can.  As the Town continues to grow and the demand on emergency services continues to increase, we feel it is necessary to have a vision for your Fire Department that ensures we can deliver the services the citizens demand in a fiscally prudent manner.  As always, we are actively seeking input from the citizens of Candia in evaluating how we can meet the ever growing demands placed on our emergency services in a controlled, planned and fiscally responsible manner. Please visit our website www.candiavfd.org for updates and revisions to the plan and provide your suggestions and comments.

You will note that we have submitted several warrant articles related to the provision of emergency services. These request include a warrant article to continue to add funds to the Capital Reserve Fund for the planned acquisition of apparatus and equipment, a Warrant Article related to providing some very basic remuneration to your emergency services personnel and an article to repair the deteriorated roof at the station.  Approval of the first article will allowed us to plan the short and long range purchase of apparatus and equipment with minimal impact on the taxpayers and the second article will provided some financial support for the amount of time, effort and personal funds spent by these professionals..  We ask for your support for all three articles.

The officers and members of your fire department would like to thank you for your support and look forward to continuing providing you with professional level emergency services.

Rudolph A. Cartier Jr.                                                     Roger Davis

              Fire Chief                                                                   Deputy Fire Chief

Candia Fire-Rescue Department Response Summary

Note: Beginning in 2006, Mutual Aid calls are recorded according to the actual response per the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) requirements.