Beginning this summer, Bristol volunteer firefighters and rescuers can begin lowering their annual property tax bill from the Town of Bristol. If they don’t own property, they can reduce their motor vehicle tax. If they don’t live in town or own any property, they can earn a small cash stipend.

The new benefits are courtesy of a tax incentive program approved recently by the Bristol Town Council, acting on the recommendation of Fire Chief Michael DeMello.

Chief DeMello spent more than a year researching, drafting and getting approvals for the new program, which is designed to do two things. The first is obvious — to reward the many volunteers. The second is less obvious but more important to the department — to recruit and retain more volunteer firefighters.

“The ultimate goal is to keep our department going, as structured, well into the future,” Chief DeMello said.

Though the fire department contracts with a private rescue service for support with its thousands of annual medical calls, and it employs a small staff of full-time employees at department headquarters, Bristol has always relied upon scores, or even hundreds, of volunteer firefighters, who are members of four separate fire companies. But 21st-century trends have taken a toll on the volunteer ranks. Many adults are in two-income households, often working out of town, with less availability or flexibility in their daily lives. Firefighters today also face heavier burdens for training and certifications than ever before. And volunteerism is on the decline across America.

The tax incentive program is designed to attract volunteers and keep them active. According to Chief DeMello, incentive programs like this have proven to be the most successful in departments across the country.

Following are details about the new program. Firefighters will be getting a sort of Tax Incentive 101 overview from Chief DeMello today …

• Beneficiaries must be active or life members of the Bristol Fire Department.
• They must complete minimum training levels, including Hazardous Materials, CPR and First Aid.
• They must attend a minimum number of drills/training per year (24 hours).
• They must respond to a minimum number of emergency calls per year (30).
• They achieve more credits for higher certifications, length of service, department rank or officer status.
• Life members are eligible for an annual $250 tax abatement.
• Anyone meeting the minimum requirements would be eligible for a $700 annual tax abatement.
• The maximum anyone could earn is a $2,500 annual tax abatement (for those who are officers and/or exceed minimum requirements).
• Eligibility and data will be reviewed annually.

The town estimates the incentive program could cost between $190,000 and $200,000 per year. The council approved the new program, subject to a revaluation of its effectiveness in 2023. The council and fire chief also have the flexibility to review and lower those maximum incentives ($2,500 per firefighter) annually.