The town plans to boost its staff of full-time firefighters from nine to 11 to bolster overnight and weekend coverage, a move that comes as Waterford and several other area towns are confronting yearslong concerns over noncompliance with federal labor law while grappling with higher emergency call volumes and smaller pools of trained volunteers. Waterford First Selectman Dan Steward said the town would dip into fire services' roughly $600,000 annual budget for part-time firefighters to fund the additional full-timers, whose combined salaries and benefits could approach $200,000.
Town records obtained by The Day show almost three dozen part-time firefighters — many of whom also serve as volunteers at the town's five private volunteer firehouses, including multiple officers and chiefs — earned a combined total of almost $420,000 in 2018.