In a world that is only getting busier and busier, dedicating the time and energy to serve as a volunteer firefighter is no small sacrifice. As a small thank you for their commitment and to encourage continued recruitment, the town is offering some members of the Bristol Fire Department a small yearly stipend, set to begin within the next few weeks.

It is the first step toward implementing a multi-tiered initiative, designed to be phased in over the next few years. Originally proposed as a tax abatement by Fire Chief Michael DeMello in early 2018, the overall goal of this simpler stipend program remains the same — to retain volunteer firefighters and entice new members to be a part of the all-volunteer department, only one of two that exists in the area.

“That’s really what this was targeted at, keeping people incentivized to respond to calls as well as attracting new people,” Chief DeMello said.

This year, the 46 members who met the minimum requirements of 30 response calls and 24 hours of training will receive the $500 stipend. Over time, more calls and completed training hours will lead to a larger incentive, with a current cap existing at $2,500 per person. That amount will be annually reviewed by the Bristol Town Council during their yearly budget deliberations.

Though the stipend alone does not provide (nor was ever intended to act as) a livable wage for firefighters, Chief DeMello hopes it will at least serve as a nod of acknowledgement to the hard work they put in day-to-day. Responding to a call can take 20 minutes or eight hours; both individual stations and the entire department hold trainings each month. Some courses at the state’s Fire Academy are a semester commitment, eating up two nights per week during that time.

“It’s a lot, when doing this on the side,” Chief DeMello said.

Despite all of the sacrifices, however, there remains a sense of pride and community within the department, and Chief DeMello is grateful for the town’s continual backing of their efforts.

“It’s really a testament to the volunteerism in the community and the support that the community gives to the fire department.”

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The stipend plan

• Tier A: 75 responses, 48 hours training
• Tier B: 45 responses, 36 hours training
• Tier C: 30 responses, 24 hours training

The Town of Bristol is beginning to pay volunteer firefighters for their service, but the actual stipends are subject to budgetary approval each year. This year, the town council funded only the lowest level — Tier C — at $500. A total of 46 firefighters qualified (must have both the minimum responses and minimum training hours to qualify), costing the town $23,000 this year.