Carlisle Fire Company Increases Funding Request

Carlisle Fire Company recently requested additional funds from Milford City Council in their annual funding request. The company asked for $350,00, an increase from the $205,000 they received last year.

“I just want to express our appreciation to the city manager, city clerk and the finance committee for their support over the years and for ensuring that the company has ensured stability and continuity of our operations,” Chief Brennan Fountain said. “Coming from an accounting and finance background, I understand the many complexities that are associated with the development of budgets across departments and various divisions within government.”

Fountain provided council with details on the operations of the company as well as their mission.

“In the past, we have been taught that we are to preserve life and property in any environment,” Fountain said. “But now, to understand that in this day and age, we are putting safety first for all our volunteers and our career staff. This comes from strategic planning, being fiscal stewards of our resources and creating opportunities like this within the public to properly educate and partner with our city government that actually shows up and supports what we do.”

Fountain explained that to uphold the mission stems from the core values established when the company was formed in 1802 and have evolved over the years by managing resources available so that the company can be prepared for duty. The foundation of core values also promotes training and maintaining a presence of readiness.

“We train every Tuesday evening and weekends and have one of the best facilities it he nation to support us and we serve with integrity,” Fountain said. “Everyone knows the roles and responsibilities. We have documented SOPs and bylaws that govern and address how we operate. We treat every incident like we are the ones affected and are committed to empathy and privacy for those that are affected.”

According to Fountain, most of the team at Carlisle are nationally registered and certified firefighters and EMTs that not only perform in the city of Milford, but operate as firefighters and EMTs in other areas, even outside the state. There are also certified fire police that are sworn to uphold the same professional excellence.

“Carlisle Fire Company responds to a variety of incidents from high to low priority. When the phone rings, we always have someone there to answer, from the residential and structural fires to motor vehicle collisions to the various rescue and storm-related emergencies, EMS calls and many more,” Fountain said. “We also respond, not only to emergency responses, but our company is required to perform in training events, educate the public around fire safety and fire prevention, attend funeral details and engage within the local community events. With that understanding in mind on how busy we are, keep in mind that most of the work performed by the Carlisle Fire Company is performed by volunteers in the community.”

Fountain pointed out that the population of Milford was expected to grow between five and six percent over the next five years, adding to what the company was expected to manage. He also pointed out that this was not unique to Milford as surrounding areas were also growing. Fire incidents increased over 17 percent between 2024 and 2025 with 95 percent of the incidents managed by volunteers. There was an increase of over 11 percent in EMS incidents with 95 percent of those calls handled by paid staff.

The apparatus and the infrastructure of the Carlisle Fire Company are truly our investments, and we are grateful for the community for allowing us to maintain such great assets. In review of what we’ve currently have as tangible assets, it is important to understand that we recognize the value around strong fiscal management, effective budget development and good stewardship over the resources that the company maintains,” Fountain said. “To date, the cost to replace a new fire truck can be estimated anywhere between $700,000 to $1.5 million depending on the apparatus.”

With the soon to be open substation, Carlisle’s apparatus will more accessible and should increase response time. Fountain explained that accessibility and response times are an integral part of the operations.

“We have made huge leaps in increasing response times to under six minutes, when the normal requirement is eight minutes, which is another win for the Carlisle Fire Company,” Fountain said.

Treasurer Joe Mriss provided details on staffing, explaining that just two full-time employees and one on ambulance plus several part-time employees. In 2025, the company has ten full-time employees and that includes an executive secretary, an EMS supervisor and the eight full-time employees. There are also part-time employees with two crews providing coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“With the increased call volume and the expected growth of the city, we will have to add a third crew in the future to continue to maintain responses and the coverage we provide to the city,” Mriss said. “In 2015, we are staffing two ambulances and now we are maintaining four ambulances.”

Mriss stated that recruitment and retention of volunteers. Currently, the company is maintaining but it is getting more difficult to get younger people to volunteer.

“The fire house, years ago, was a place to hang out and that has changed a little,” Mriss said. “Kids just aren’t as interested as they used to be. There is increased community demand. We see a lot more community events that we are asked to participate in. That puts a strain on the volunteers as well and we also depend on our full-time crews to provide support for that.”

In an effort to retain current staff, the company is trying to keep salaries and benefits at the level necessary to achieve that goal. Mriss explained that the company instituted a pension plan two years ago through the state for all full-time employees.

“We looked back and in 2010, we were receiving $140,000 from the city and that amount remained until two years ago,” Mriss said. “Then it increased to $205,000, but keep in mind, $30,000 to $40,000 of that comes back to the city in utility costs. There is also some funding that goes to the high school that has started an EMT program and we support that as much as we can with equipment and supplies.”

The EMT program is a success, according to Mriss, and he stated that Carlisle was not the only program experiencing volunteer recruitment issues. Councilman Dan Marabello asked if part of the increase requested included the substation.

“That’s part of the increase,” Mriss said. “I will say that a lot of it is due to salaries as most of the funding we get from the city goes directly to support the staff.”

Marabello asked what the budget was for the year and how much they put away for reserves.

“Our current operating budget this year is $2.4 million and close to one million of that is just in salaries,” Mriss said. “At the end of the year, we we do put money aside for apparatus and fire trucks. We also put money aside for ambulances and equipment.”

Councilman Jason James provided some insight into the funding for the company.

“Just to add some clarity because some council members may not have been present when the increase from $140,000 to $200,000 to $205,000 took place,” James said. “The $60,000 increase from $140,000 to $200,000 was a result of Carlisle presenting to the city their need ot be able to help offset the cost of employment, especially for the EMS, because of the growth of the city and the amount of responses that were taking place between salaries and benefits. The $5,000 was a specific amount that was the result of the EMS program that the city of Milford, the Milford School District and Carlisle joined in a joint venture to create the high school program. The $5,000 was for the materials and incidentals and other things necessary to help make that program successful.”

City Council will include the request as part of their budget hearings in May or June.