Fire Department mulls staff realignment

HUDSON – The Fire Department is seeking to create a new position and make some changes at the upper levels.

The department has proposed creating a training, safety position. The position – a captain – would be responsible for hiring, recruitment, promotion and training. The captain would also conduct an orientation program for new call and full-time firefighters.

The new training position would provide consistency in scheduling, training and coordination, Fire Chief Shawn Murray told the selectmen during a workshop.

The position would be flexible with the training captain working days and some nights to work with the call force. The captain would also be an incident safety officer, monitoring safety issues during emergency operations.

There is currently an assistant chief’s position, which is vacant after Murray was promoted to fire chief, a fire marshal’s position and a deputy chief’s position.

Under the new setup, there would be a deputy fire chief in charge of support services and a deputy fire chief in charge of operations. Some of the current deputy chief’s duties would be spread out among the administrative staff.

Under the proposed scenario, Fire Marshal Charles Chalk would become deputy chief of support services, which include the fire prevention staff. His duties would include the mechanical division, dispatch, fire alarm systems, and radios.

Deputy Fire Chief Gary Rodgers would oversee operations including personnel.

The Board of Selectmen will discuss the proposed changes during its meeting Tuesday night. The board is also scheduled to discuss some other topics that were brought up during the workshop.

Anne Lundregan can be reached at 594-6449 or lundregana@telegraph-nh.com.