MARLBOROUGH, MA — Marlborough firefighters spoke up this week to press city leaders on staffing, saying the department is handling more calls in a growing city without adding enough firefighters.
Marlborough Firefighters Local 1714 President Matthew Armour addressed councilors Monday night and said the department responded to about 9,225 calls last year, nearly 50 percent more than in 2014, while still working with the same staffing levels it had in the 1990s.
"The reality is simple. Marlborough has changed dramatically, but our staffing has not," Armour told the council. He said the department is operating with "a minimum of 14 firefighters on duty citywide."
In a social media post on Wednesday, the union said firefighters "cannot continue to do more with less forever" and called adequate staffing necessary for public safety and firefighter safety. The post urged residents to contact elected officials in support of stronger staffing at the Marlborough Fire Department.
Armour said call volume is still rising this year and tied the issue to continued development across the city. "The need is not hypothetical. It's not years away. It's here," he said.
Marlborough firefighters have raised the issue for more than a decade through the budget process, Armour said, including proposals for gradual staffing increases and long-term planning for a future Westside fire station.
"Maintaining public safety in a growing community requires investment," Armour said. "We're asking for leadership. We're asking for accountability. We're asking for a commitment to planning for the future before the future forces this issue upon us."
The City of Marlborough and the Marlborough City Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
See Also:
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Marlborough, MA Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.