I received a tip that on Friday June 7 the Epping Fire Department had to respond to a mutual aid request from Nottingham because Nottingham’s Fire Station didn’t have staff to send out an ambulance.
I think there are some fundamental misunderstandings here. Based on past reporting, it was reported that the FD did not switch to 24 hour shifts until January 2023 and was not "Fully Staffed" UNTIL March 2023 (with the 6 full time staff). "Full staffing" remained until around September 2023. My understanding is that Sunday had no coverage AT the station meaning that 24/7 coverage you talk about was never actually true. (People responding from home is not what was discussed). Can you do some more research on this? Late 2022 and early 2023 timeframe and find out if there were actually 2x firefighters sleeping at the station overnight during this period please.
Doug, you do some good reporting but when it comes to the FD you are doing a major disservice to your readers because you are not informed about how the system works. Did you know that other than the biggest cities (Manchester, Nashua, and Concord) EVERY SINGLE TOWN in NH RELIES upon Mutual Aid for any structure fire? Based on the 2022 Deliberative session minutes, when the ambulance transports to the hospital it takes the crew out of service for 3 hours. What happens if there is ANOTHER emergency in that time? There is no guaranteed staff and mutual aid is the only option. Does there need to be backfill? That means upping staffing to 4 at all times (Costs big $$$). Did you know that in addition to requesting mutual aid, Nottingham PROVIDES Mutual Aid to surrounding communities? Do you know how Nottingham compares to other similar communities on mutual aid? Did you know that based on the geography of the Town, Mutual Aid can actually respond to certain areas faster than NFRD even when staffed? Please listen to radio traffic so you can understand how the system works. You can do that here for the entire seacoast area (there are also many scanner apps): https://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/28011
Finally, the way this article (and the blog is framed), it seems to try and point out a management problem, mainly with the BOS. The BOS are NOT responsible for the DAILY management of the Fire Department (including scheduling). They meet every two weeks or so... Simply not their job. It is however, the job of the Fire Chief, who need I remind you works for $11,000 per year. The Town did not approve increasing this amount this year and the Town is now getting what they pay for. Try running a business with full time employees and paying the CEO a fraction of what one of the employees makes... Good luck. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. Talk about the real problem. This blog presented that warrant article as a money grab. Can you see now that the Town needs to spend money on management to actually get results? Volunteer Chief with a paid full time 24/7 staff is nonsense... How do you even expect to be able to hire people with a volunteer Chief. Hiring is massive time commitment in addition to the many MANY other duties.
This is what happens when you don't fund Public Safety... Public Safety is compromised. (Yes the old Chief did it for this much. Old Chief is gone. Nottingham got a bargain for many years and many thanks for that.) However, there needs to be a way forward. There needs to be an understanding that Public Safety is an investment and you get what you pay for. (Past issues are past issues and do not solve the future, neither does complaining or dwelling on them). If Public Safety is important then it needs to be figured out.
I will say again, good opportunity to do a special meeting town meeting to get some more funding for staff and management on an immediate and emergency basis. If this is not supported then stop complaining and certainly don't complain when November rolls around and PD and FD are over budget.
Quoting your comments then giving a response to them.
"My understanding is that Sunday had no coverage AT the station meaning that 24/7 coverage you talk about was never actually true."
-> My understanding is that the staffing on Sundays was with per deims - the same method the department has been using in recent months to provide 24/7 staffing while not having enough full-timers to cover Monday through Saturday, and which the department says is providing a cost savings.
"Doug, you do some good reporting but when it comes to the FD you are doing a major disservice to your readers because you are not informed about how the system works."
-> I make no claim to be omniscient. I report what I find out about. When people give me more information or conflicting information, I engage with them to figure out better what is going on. I have published retractions and disagreements with what I have written. If you have information, please bring it up for discussion. However, in this case it seems that you think I am ignorant of the fact that towns provide mutual aid to each other. I am aware of this. The way your point on this is coming across to me is as if I had reported that there was a power outage and a backup generator had to be used and your objection is that there really wasn't an outage because there was still power from the backup generator.
"Do you know how Nottingham compares to other similar communities on mutual aid? "
-> No. I would like to. Where can I obtain the data?
"Did you know that based on the geography of the Town, Mutual Aid can actually respond to certain areas faster than NFRD even when staffed? "
-> Yes. Doesn't about everyone who is aware of where the various fire stations are know this?
"Please listen to radio traffic so you can understand how the system works. You can do that here for the entire seacoast area (there are also many scanner apps): https://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/28011"
-> I suspect that's how the person who gave me the tip got their information.
"the way this article (and the blog is framed), it seems to try and point out a management problem, mainly with the BOS."
-> Thank you for noticing.
"The BOS are NOT responsible for the DAILY management of the Fire Department (including scheduling). "
-> You missed that this blog points out management problems in Nottingham *government*. This includes management problems all the way down. However, my management philosophy is that all problems, regardless of how far down the management pyramid they are, are, in a fundamental sense, owned by top management.
"Try running a business with full time employees and paying the CEO a fraction of what one of the employees makes... Good luck. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE."
-> I have tried this. I've been successful with it. In startups, it is common for managers below C-level to have higher salaries than top management. Outside of startups, it is common for top salesmen to earn more than their CEOs. Doctors routinely earn more than the CEOs of medical practices. I'm not claiming that these circumstances apply here. I am saying this to point out that the analogy you're making here is faulty. It doesn't prove what you claim it does.
"Talk about the real problem. This blog presented that warrant article as a money grab. Can you see now that the Town needs to spend money on management to actually get results?"
-> It seems to me that you are conflating my reporting with my having taken an editorial position. While I do occasionally take editorial positions, I have not taken one on this issue.
"Volunteer Chief with a paid full time 24/7 staff is nonsense... How do you even expect to be able to hire people with a volunteer Chief. Hiring is massive time commitment in addition to the many MANY other duties."
-> This may well be true; however, the time to bring this up was long in the past.
"This is what happens when you don't fund Public Safety..."
-> Didn't the voters substantially increase funding for public safety in 2022?
"Nottingham got a bargain for many years and many thanks for that."
-> I suggest you think about how others would perceive that statement.
"...good opportunity to do a special meeting town meeting to get some more funding for staff and management on an immediate and emergency basis. "
-> I suggest taking that up with the BOS.
"If this is not supported then stop complaining and certainly don't complain when November rolls around and PD and FD are over budget."
-> I suggest that this is unrealistic. The very existence of governance is to deal with complaints. You should expect people to complain because they've been told to stop complaining.
"My understanding is that the staffing on Sundays was with per deims"
-> Like I said I suggest you look into this. You have demonstrated you are a good investigative reporter.
"Didn't the voters substantially increase funding for public safety in 2022?"
-> Do not conflate a past increase with current needs. Just because more money is spent does not mean the level of funding is adequate for the level of protection desired. Did you know the budget for the FD is 99.9% higher than it was in 1950...
"I suggest taking that up with the BOS."
-> No. The BOS wanted to do this but were very vocally told NO when the budget failed. This is a democracy and this is in the people's court. If you want to fix these problems right now then do it. You have the power. Don't complain when you can take action. https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/iii/39/39-3.htm
Regarding the per diem staff, this was discussed at the April 15 meeting. https://nottingham.substack.com/p/board-of-selectmen-meeting-april-fc0 Former Chief Vilchock tried to get Selectman Shirland to admit what was obvious - that the department was not providing 24/7 coverage in the way specified by the 2022 warrant article - and Shirland kept answering Vilchock's clarifying questions with variants of assurances that 24/7 coverage was being provided by using a lot of per diem staff and this method saved money.
"Just because more money is spent does not mean the level of funding is adequate for the level of protection desired."
-> Yes, this is true. However, to my knowledge no one in town government has informed the public that 24/7 coverage could no longer be provided due to insuficient budget. Instead, we have so far been assured that 24/7 coverage can be provided. As for the Chief's pay, the town had two candidates who were willing to accept the job at that level of pay.
-> While you could gather the signatures to call a special town meeting, my opinion is that it is unlikely such a meeting would overturn the decisions the voters made just three months ago. On the other hand, I am getting a feeling there are an increasing number of citizens who, like you, are thinking that the citizens should take action. I suspect we're going to have several citizen-petitioned warrant articles on next year's ballot.
Nottingham never had to rely on mutual aid in the capacity it does today.
In accordance with 2022 warrant article 5, until March 2023 NFRD was fully staffed and shifts were fully covered 24/7 then something happened. Something that was 100% responsible for the budgeting, staffing, scheduling, dysfunction currently taking place. Something that landed the town in court next week.
Relying on mutual aid from surrounding communities is simply not a good thing in an emergency life or death situation when seconds matter.
The idea that relying on others coming from outside of Nottingham for mutual aid is somehow ok, normal, or acceptable is ridiculous.
From personal experiences, data (increased response times) and a pattern of incidents the community is fully aware, it is without question that the town was safer, and had appropriate coverage pre March 2023.
Correlation does not imply causation. Call volume is increasing in town as it is nationally - statistically speaking, it would be expected that mutual aid would increase too. We aren't unique in calling for mutual aid - you can hear plenty of it all over the state, and we are also providing quite a bit to surrounding mutual aid partners.
Correlation does in fact imply causation, especially when the town removed 2 long time advanced EMTs who were known to respond to emergencies 24/7/365.
You now have -2 to help in medical emergencies.
Simple math.
Call volume is not increasing in town.
There is no data to backup that statement.
A fully staffed/manned/ properly scheduled department does not require mutual aid for a simple transport.
Please stop spreading misinformation and excuses.
It’s a bad look for Nottingham.
The surrounding communities know this.
The reporting shared in this blog and what I am telling you is specific to Nottingham’s problems.
You are referencing very broad and general talking talking points.
Personally, I don’t believe the safety of a community is something that should be downplayed or taken lightly.
2022 Article #05: "Shall the Town vote to add three full-time personnel to the fire department, which calls for salary and benefits for fiscal year 2023 of $225,000, and further to raise and appropriate $75,000 for the current fiscal year, such sum representing four months of additional costs attributed to the increase in salary and benefits."
There was never a VOTE for 24/7 coverage.
According to the 2022 deliberative session minutes, the initial values proposed for this Article were $302,544 and $108,848 and were amended downward 26% and 31% respectively. Then a default budget for FY 2024! Meaning an inability to adjust these numbers to account for inflation. Even if there was a vote in 2022 for 24/7 coverage there would not be an ability to maintain that level of service because of inflation. The Town is bound by the current year's budget and appropriations from approved articles.
2022 dollars DO NOT EQUAL 2024 dollars
Perhaps a petition for a special meeting needs to be submitted to address these issues immediately with the necessary funding. This could conveniently double to appropriate money to fix the Town Beach!
Your points about the issues the town is struggling with regarding inflation and the default budget are well taken; however, I do not see how the points you make regarding 2022 warrant article #5 demonstrate that there is anything that needs to be corrected. The proponents of that warrant article said it was for providing 24/7 coverage. Moreover, just a month and a half ago the citizens were assured by the board that 24/7 coverage was being provided. This was after the default budget was enacted. See https://nottingham.substack.com/p/board-of-selectmen-meeting-april-fc0
I think there are some fundamental misunderstandings here. Based on past reporting, it was reported that the FD did not switch to 24 hour shifts until January 2023 and was not "Fully Staffed" UNTIL March 2023 (with the 6 full time staff). "Full staffing" remained until around September 2023. My understanding is that Sunday had no coverage AT the station meaning that 24/7 coverage you talk about was never actually true. (People responding from home is not what was discussed). Can you do some more research on this? Late 2022 and early 2023 timeframe and find out if there were actually 2x firefighters sleeping at the station overnight during this period please.
Doug, you do some good reporting but when it comes to the FD you are doing a major disservice to your readers because you are not informed about how the system works. Did you know that other than the biggest cities (Manchester, Nashua, and Concord) EVERY SINGLE TOWN in NH RELIES upon Mutual Aid for any structure fire? Based on the 2022 Deliberative session minutes, when the ambulance transports to the hospital it takes the crew out of service for 3 hours. What happens if there is ANOTHER emergency in that time? There is no guaranteed staff and mutual aid is the only option. Does there need to be backfill? That means upping staffing to 4 at all times (Costs big $$$). Did you know that in addition to requesting mutual aid, Nottingham PROVIDES Mutual Aid to surrounding communities? Do you know how Nottingham compares to other similar communities on mutual aid? Did you know that based on the geography of the Town, Mutual Aid can actually respond to certain areas faster than NFRD even when staffed? Please listen to radio traffic so you can understand how the system works. You can do that here for the entire seacoast area (there are also many scanner apps): https://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/28011
Finally, the way this article (and the blog is framed), it seems to try and point out a management problem, mainly with the BOS. The BOS are NOT responsible for the DAILY management of the Fire Department (including scheduling). They meet every two weeks or so... Simply not their job. It is however, the job of the Fire Chief, who need I remind you works for $11,000 per year. The Town did not approve increasing this amount this year and the Town is now getting what they pay for. Try running a business with full time employees and paying the CEO a fraction of what one of the employees makes... Good luck. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. Talk about the real problem. This blog presented that warrant article as a money grab. Can you see now that the Town needs to spend money on management to actually get results? Volunteer Chief with a paid full time 24/7 staff is nonsense... How do you even expect to be able to hire people with a volunteer Chief. Hiring is massive time commitment in addition to the many MANY other duties.
This is what happens when you don't fund Public Safety... Public Safety is compromised. (Yes the old Chief did it for this much. Old Chief is gone. Nottingham got a bargain for many years and many thanks for that.) However, there needs to be a way forward. There needs to be an understanding that Public Safety is an investment and you get what you pay for. (Past issues are past issues and do not solve the future, neither does complaining or dwelling on them). If Public Safety is important then it needs to be figured out.
I will say again, good opportunity to do a special meeting town meeting to get some more funding for staff and management on an immediate and emergency basis. If this is not supported then stop complaining and certainly don't complain when November rolls around and PD and FD are over budget.
Quoting your comments then giving a response to them.
"My understanding is that Sunday had no coverage AT the station meaning that 24/7 coverage you talk about was never actually true."
-> My understanding is that the staffing on Sundays was with per deims - the same method the department has been using in recent months to provide 24/7 staffing while not having enough full-timers to cover Monday through Saturday, and which the department says is providing a cost savings.
"Doug, you do some good reporting but when it comes to the FD you are doing a major disservice to your readers because you are not informed about how the system works."
-> I make no claim to be omniscient. I report what I find out about. When people give me more information or conflicting information, I engage with them to figure out better what is going on. I have published retractions and disagreements with what I have written. If you have information, please bring it up for discussion. However, in this case it seems that you think I am ignorant of the fact that towns provide mutual aid to each other. I am aware of this. The way your point on this is coming across to me is as if I had reported that there was a power outage and a backup generator had to be used and your objection is that there really wasn't an outage because there was still power from the backup generator.
"Do you know how Nottingham compares to other similar communities on mutual aid? "
-> No. I would like to. Where can I obtain the data?
"Did you know that based on the geography of the Town, Mutual Aid can actually respond to certain areas faster than NFRD even when staffed? "
-> Yes. Doesn't about everyone who is aware of where the various fire stations are know this?
"Please listen to radio traffic so you can understand how the system works. You can do that here for the entire seacoast area (there are also many scanner apps): https://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/28011"
-> I suspect that's how the person who gave me the tip got their information.
"the way this article (and the blog is framed), it seems to try and point out a management problem, mainly with the BOS."
-> Thank you for noticing.
"The BOS are NOT responsible for the DAILY management of the Fire Department (including scheduling). "
-> You missed that this blog points out management problems in Nottingham *government*. This includes management problems all the way down. However, my management philosophy is that all problems, regardless of how far down the management pyramid they are, are, in a fundamental sense, owned by top management.
"Try running a business with full time employees and paying the CEO a fraction of what one of the employees makes... Good luck. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE."
-> I have tried this. I've been successful with it. In startups, it is common for managers below C-level to have higher salaries than top management. Outside of startups, it is common for top salesmen to earn more than their CEOs. Doctors routinely earn more than the CEOs of medical practices. I'm not claiming that these circumstances apply here. I am saying this to point out that the analogy you're making here is faulty. It doesn't prove what you claim it does.
"Talk about the real problem. This blog presented that warrant article as a money grab. Can you see now that the Town needs to spend money on management to actually get results?"
-> It seems to me that you are conflating my reporting with my having taken an editorial position. While I do occasionally take editorial positions, I have not taken one on this issue.
"Volunteer Chief with a paid full time 24/7 staff is nonsense... How do you even expect to be able to hire people with a volunteer Chief. Hiring is massive time commitment in addition to the many MANY other duties."
-> This may well be true; however, the time to bring this up was long in the past.
"This is what happens when you don't fund Public Safety..."
-> Didn't the voters substantially increase funding for public safety in 2022?
"Nottingham got a bargain for many years and many thanks for that."
-> I suggest you think about how others would perceive that statement.
"...good opportunity to do a special meeting town meeting to get some more funding for staff and management on an immediate and emergency basis. "
-> I suggest taking that up with the BOS.
"If this is not supported then stop complaining and certainly don't complain when November rolls around and PD and FD are over budget."
-> I suggest that this is unrealistic. The very existence of governance is to deal with complaints. You should expect people to complain because they've been told to stop complaining.
"My understanding is that the staffing on Sundays was with per deims"
-> Like I said I suggest you look into this. You have demonstrated you are a good investigative reporter.
"Didn't the voters substantially increase funding for public safety in 2022?"
-> Do not conflate a past increase with current needs. Just because more money is spent does not mean the level of funding is adequate for the level of protection desired. Did you know the budget for the FD is 99.9% higher than it was in 1950...
"I suggest taking that up with the BOS."
-> No. The BOS wanted to do this but were very vocally told NO when the budget failed. This is a democracy and this is in the people's court. If you want to fix these problems right now then do it. You have the power. Don't complain when you can take action. https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/iii/39/39-3.htm
Regarding the per diem staff, this was discussed at the April 15 meeting. https://nottingham.substack.com/p/board-of-selectmen-meeting-april-fc0 Former Chief Vilchock tried to get Selectman Shirland to admit what was obvious - that the department was not providing 24/7 coverage in the way specified by the 2022 warrant article - and Shirland kept answering Vilchock's clarifying questions with variants of assurances that 24/7 coverage was being provided by using a lot of per diem staff and this method saved money.
"Just because more money is spent does not mean the level of funding is adequate for the level of protection desired."
-> Yes, this is true. However, to my knowledge no one in town government has informed the public that 24/7 coverage could no longer be provided due to insuficient budget. Instead, we have so far been assured that 24/7 coverage can be provided. As for the Chief's pay, the town had two candidates who were willing to accept the job at that level of pay.
-> While you could gather the signatures to call a special town meeting, my opinion is that it is unlikely such a meeting would overturn the decisions the voters made just three months ago. On the other hand, I am getting a feeling there are an increasing number of citizens who, like you, are thinking that the citizens should take action. I suspect we're going to have several citizen-petitioned warrant articles on next year's ballot.
This is not unique to Nottingham, or even NH. The entire nation is facing shortages of staffing in emergency services.
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20240124-the-dire-shortage-of-volunteer-firefighters-in-the-us
https://www.wmur.com/article/new-hampshire-fire-departments-hiring-101023/45500151
We can be thankful that the mutual aid compact is doing exactly what it was designed to do: https://klingreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/NH_MutualAidOrganizations.pdf
Nottingham never had to rely on mutual aid in the capacity it does today.
In accordance with 2022 warrant article 5, until March 2023 NFRD was fully staffed and shifts were fully covered 24/7 then something happened. Something that was 100% responsible for the budgeting, staffing, scheduling, dysfunction currently taking place. Something that landed the town in court next week.
Relying on mutual aid from surrounding communities is simply not a good thing in an emergency life or death situation when seconds matter.
The idea that relying on others coming from outside of Nottingham for mutual aid is somehow ok, normal, or acceptable is ridiculous.
From personal experiences, data (increased response times) and a pattern of incidents the community is fully aware, it is without question that the town was safer, and had appropriate coverage pre March 2023.
No excuses for what has happened to Nottingham.
Correlation does not imply causation. Call volume is increasing in town as it is nationally - statistically speaking, it would be expected that mutual aid would increase too. We aren't unique in calling for mutual aid - you can hear plenty of it all over the state, and we are also providing quite a bit to surrounding mutual aid partners.
Does anyone know where I could obtain data about how much mutual aid Nottingham has been receiving and providing, and how this has changed over time?
Correlation does in fact imply causation, especially when the town removed 2 long time advanced EMTs who were known to respond to emergencies 24/7/365.
You now have -2 to help in medical emergencies.
Simple math.
Call volume is not increasing in town.
There is no data to backup that statement.
A fully staffed/manned/ properly scheduled department does not require mutual aid for a simple transport.
Please stop spreading misinformation and excuses.
It’s a bad look for Nottingham.
The surrounding communities know this.
The reporting shared in this blog and what I am telling you is specific to Nottingham’s problems.
You are referencing very broad and general talking talking points.
Personally, I don’t believe the safety of a community is something that should be downplayed or taken lightly.
Here's a great report from the NH Ambulance Association that includes feedback and statistics direct from departments and chiefs: http://the-nhaa.org/images/Final_Report_for_NH_EMS_1_.pdf
I don't think two people are the root cause of a national problem, let alone a significant problem in this state.
This concern and report is about Nottingham.
Apples to oranges when the issue is life and death. What’s happening in Nottingham right now was easily predicted and is completely unnecessary.
This is the direct result of an unnecessary and unprecedented action taken by an impulsive BoS, hence why the town is faced with court next week.
It truly did not have to be this way.
Now we all suffer and are at risk because of the irresponsible actions of a few.
Please correct this article.
2022 Article #05: "Shall the Town vote to add three full-time personnel to the fire department, which calls for salary and benefits for fiscal year 2023 of $225,000, and further to raise and appropriate $75,000 for the current fiscal year, such sum representing four months of additional costs attributed to the increase in salary and benefits."
There was never a VOTE for 24/7 coverage.
According to the 2022 deliberative session minutes, the initial values proposed for this Article were $302,544 and $108,848 and were amended downward 26% and 31% respectively. Then a default budget for FY 2024! Meaning an inability to adjust these numbers to account for inflation. Even if there was a vote in 2022 for 24/7 coverage there would not be an ability to maintain that level of service because of inflation. The Town is bound by the current year's budget and appropriations from approved articles.
2022 dollars DO NOT EQUAL 2024 dollars
Perhaps a petition for a special meeting needs to be submitted to address these issues immediately with the necessary funding. This could conveniently double to appropriate money to fix the Town Beach!
Your points about the issues the town is struggling with regarding inflation and the default budget are well taken; however, I do not see how the points you make regarding 2022 warrant article #5 demonstrate that there is anything that needs to be corrected. The proponents of that warrant article said it was for providing 24/7 coverage. Moreover, just a month and a half ago the citizens were assured by the board that 24/7 coverage was being provided. This was after the default budget was enacted. See https://nottingham.substack.com/p/board-of-selectmen-meeting-april-fc0
The Nottingham BoS not being honest with it’s own citizens?!?!?!? Seems to be the norm.
What needs to be ‘fixed’ at the town beach? It’s SAND and WATER.
Tax and spend
Tax and spend
Tax and spend
Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good luck Nottingham.
Clearly your ‘leadership’ has failed you and continues to do so.
Nottingham Town Beach still closed?