Fire chief pitches Community Paramedicine Program

New Canton Fire Chief Wendell Robery is advancing a new Community Paramedicine Program — first proposed by former Fire Chief and current Town Administrator Charles Doody — as part of the Fire Department’s proposed operational budget for the next fiscal year (FY24).

The program, which would be run in coordination with the Department of Elder and Human Services, is designed to keep elderly patients from returning to the hospital through regular well-being visits from paramedics.

Under Robery’s proposal, the department would add a second deputy fire chief to supervise and train paramedics for the program. That individual would also oversee the EMS program and ambulance service and assist with various other administrative tasks. The other deputy chief would be in charge of code enforcement and inspections and be a senior officer on emergency calls.

Robery’s proposed FY24 budget calls for roughly $237,000 in new spending, including $136,000 for the new deputy chief position. Robery said current Deputy Fire Chief Scott Johnson would stay on board as one of the two deputy chiefs.

Also making her budget pitch at Tuesday night’s Select Board meeting was Canton Police Chief Helena Rafferty, who has requested four additional police officers at a projected cost of $248,000 to help with current and projected retirements and to keep the school resource officers in their current roles. Rafferty said if four new hires are not feasible, she is hopeful that at least one new officer could be added for next year.

Although unable to attend the meeting, DPW Superintendent Mike Trotta, through Finance Director Randy Scollins and Highway Superintendent Bill Walsh, proposed that a public buildings facility director be hired and that all building maintenance and utility costs be included under a Central Maintenance Division.

Tyler Radicioni, director of Canton Parks and Recreation, also outlined his requests, which include the addition of two new full-time maintenance staff members to help maintain the town ballfields and a bump in lifeguard wages to keep up with increased demand.

In other news from the February 28 meeting …

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Posted by Mike Berger on Mar 3 2023. Filed under News, Police & Fire. Both comments and pings are currently closed.