The town should close the Foreside fire station and hire more full-time firefighters to better meet the increasing number of calls for emergency aid, a consultant told the council Monday.
Travis Miller, of consulting firm Criterion and Associates in Massachusetts, made the recommendations after reviewing staffing, the number of calls the Fire Department gets annually and where those calls are coming from.
In addition to closing the Foreside station, Miller said, the Fire Department should immediately have at least five people on duty at Central Station 24/7.
Under that model, two would serve the ambulance and three would serve the fire engine, he said. Ideally, Miller added, there should also be at least two paramedics on duty at the Winn Road station at all times, as well.
That station is now manned by live-in fire students, but they’re not always available to respond to calls.