Live-in program for firefighters provides safety net for night calls
A live-in program at the Kensington Fire Department means more volunteers and better coverage for Berlin, say participants.
It’s a new trend nationwide and one that seems to be working out well for Berlin, said Chief Mark Lewandowski. He took the lead in launching the local program which necessitated renovating a portion of the upper floor of the Farmington Avenue fire house into living quarters.
The chief said KFD has been fundraising and the project received “a rather large” donation of seed money through the Marjorie Moore Foundation as well as help from the Neighborhood Assistance Act. Now two full-time live in firefighters share the facilities and there’s also room for occasional extra overnight staff. The program could be expanded in the future, Lewandowski said.
“The overall goal is to make sure we have a decent response,” Lewandowski said. The organization looked at a variety of ways it could boost its available personnel.
The program launched in December 2006 and Brian Metcalf and Ted Dombraskas are the two full time live-in staff.
Metcalf said there are many benefits of the program. For example, it addresses recent decreases in volunteerism, improves the quality of service and response, and continues to save the town money on emergency management services.
A person needs to have the personal circumstances that make this an attractive option, Metcalf said. When he was living in an apartment, he found that his response time too slow and when a call came in he was not making the first truck out — or at times, any truck.
At the time, KFD was “looking to start this program and I thought it was a pretty exciting idea and a good fit,” Metcalf said. “It helps with your living expenses and you can provide a public service at the same time.”
Participants live at the fire house, free of charge, in turn for their service. Metcalf said there are no formal limits on how long a live-in participate in the program. However, “I serve at pleasure of the department and the membership. I just plan to keep doing a good job and keep earning their support.”
“As a live-in you are spending every waking moment there. There’s no respite when there is work to be done,” Metcalf said who has been a firehouse resident for about two years. As to the actual living experiences, he said “It mimics the college experience; it’s communal living.”
The experience is unique, Metcalf said. “When you come home to a fire house you are walking by fire trucks” on the way to your living room. However, there are no restrictions on how you live your private life. Except for when the fire bell rings.
“If you treat this job as a paying job, you’ll do well,” Metcalf said adding that it takes discipline. An engineer during the day, he said “I regard my time at the firehouse as a second job.”
To further expand the program, the space has been configured to accommodate members on a temporary basis, as well, such as during periods of inclement weather. Metcalf said “We are looking to expand the program in the future, which will further benefit the town, as funding becomes available.”
Metcalf said as a firefighter, living on-site is “an immersive experience — you’re surrounded by the things you need to work with and you gain a familiarly with the equipment” that would be difficult to get, otherwise.
He has been able to adapt to the sounds that come into the station at night, such as the nearby railroad activity or tones that summon other emergency personnel such as the police but not the firefighters. He only hears the sound that means it’s a fire call. “That wakes me up.”
When a call comes in at 3 a.m., there’s a strong chance Metcalf said that “the live-ins take it.” It’s not that hard to wake up with the “excitement of the call,” he said, adding, “Lately, there’s been a lot of night calls.”
In a letter to potential donors, the fire chief said, “Firefighting and emergency response is a dirty and dangerous job, yet a very rewarding vocation that requires over an initial 150 hours of training and weekly ongoing education. During an average year our members respond to over 500 calls for assistance.
“One of the greatest problems facing the department is the declining number of applicants it receives each year,” Lewandowski said explaining the many reasons voluntarism has fallen off.
Metcalf has a very large room to himself. In the common space there is a bathroom and separate quarters for eating, watching TV and hanging out. “I can live a private life in my room and then join up with others in the common spaces.” Lewandowski said the largest benefit of the dorm program is the potential for increased membership in the department which then helps decrease the response time to an emergency.
By Olivia L. Lawrence Associate Editor The Berlin Citizen
