Jack Parro, the consultant who conducted a comprehensive fire‑department staffing study for the Town of Norwood, told the Board of Selectmen on Dec. 9 that total emergency calls rose "from 5,393 to 7,154" between 2020 and 2024—a 33% increase—and that the department has operated with largely the same staffing levels for two decades. Parro said the increase in calls, and in particular frequent concurrent calls, has strained the town’s ability to maintain safe crew sizes and timely responses.

"We did a five‑year look back...the calls from 2020 to 2024 had risen 33%," Parro said, summarizing the study’s central finding. Parro cited a Jan–Aug sample of 1,007 concurrent calls and described scenarios where multiple apparatus are committed, leaving the town short of required engines or water supply for firefighting operations.

To address those trends, Parro recommended expanding each of Norwood’s four work groups from 15 to 18 members. The plan would require hiring 12 firefighter‑medics and promoting four lieutenants, instituting 32 hours per year of dedicated training (compensated if taken off duty), creating a full‑time training officer (captain rank), and equipping engines and the ladder truck with ALS capability so advanced life support is available even when ambulances are out of town. "We recommend going to 18 members per shift," Parro said.

The Town Manager presented three broad funding options for the board to consider: a contingent override on the May town meeting warrant, using free cash to offset recurring costs (with cautions about doing so), or allocating recent new growth into the operating budget. The manager provided a high‑level cost estimate in the range of about $1.9 million (up to $2.4 million with benefits placeholders) and said that would translate to roughly a $110–$120 annual tax impact for the average home under the manager’s assumptions.

Board members pressed Parro and town staff on operational impacts, overtime savings and the time it takes to recruit and train new firefighters. Parro said overtime and substitution costs could fall materially if baseline staffing increases, though hiring timelines are constrained by academy waitlists. Parro also discussed alternatives used elsewhere—including placing a third ambulance during peak hours—which in other towns recovered an estimated $150,000–$160,000 annually.

After discussion, the board voted to accept the staffing study and directed staff to schedule a dedicated January workshop with the fire chief, finance and HR staff to examine implementation steps and funding options. The manager and Parro said moving quickly would improve chances of hiring in a favorable academy cycle and reduce operational risk.

Next steps: the board plans a January workshop to review the study in detail and return with specific questions and proposals for funding and implementation.