Thanks to the support of our citizens and a FEMA SAFER Grant, Manchester Fire has been able to begin increasing staffing, with the goal of maintaining four firefighters on duty at all times.
Some may ask: Why is that important in a town like Manchester?
The answer is simple: Emergencies don’t happen one at a time.
Last month, we highlighted a structure fire where, because of adequate staffing, our first-arriving crew was able to quickly initiate an interior fire attack and limit the fire damage to the room of origin.
This past Wednesday night provided another example of why staffing matters.
At 9:05 PM, Manchester Fire was dispatched to a significant medical emergency. Our paramedics arrived in just 1 minute and 32 seconds. The patient was critically ill and required three Manchester firefighters to provide Advanced Life Support care and transport the patient to Beverly Hospital.
Just eight minutes later, at 9:13 PM, a second medical emergency was received. Car 3, staffed with a paramedic, was available to respond and arrived in 2 minutes and 43 seconds. This patient also required paramedic-level care and was transported to Beverly Hospital by Beauport Ambulance. (Our new (2nd) ambulance is due to arrive in the next few weeks)
Later that same evening, at 10:21 PM, crews were dispatched for a person trapped in a malfunctioning elevator. Firefighters arrived in 3 minutes and 42 seconds and began the involved process of safely removing the patient.
While crews were still operating at the elevator emergency, another call was received at 10:31 PM for a residential fire alarm activation. Fire crews arrived at that home in 4 minutes and 50 seconds.
Two separate sets of simultaneous emergency calls. Four incidents. Medical emergencies, ALS care, patient transport, technical extrication, and a fire response—all handled while maintaining rapid response times.
Our response to these overlapping emergencies is something we are extremely proud of. Every day, we strive to provide the very best emergency response to our residents and visitors—whether you are the first call, the second call, or sometimes even the third call happening at the same time.
This level of service would not be possible without the continued support of our community. Your investment in appropriate staffing, modern equipment, and emergency services directly impacts our ability to respond when you need us most.
From all of us at Manchester Fire: THANK YOU for your continued support!
