Marlborough Fire Calls Rise As Firefighters Press Staffing Concerns

MARLBOROUGH, MA — Marlborough firefighters are responding to a higher volume of emergency incidents this year than they did at the same point in 2025.

The Marlborough Fire Department said Monday that firefighters responded to 846 emergency incidents in May, bringing the department’s year-to-date total to 3,929 incidents. That is 241 more incidents than the 3,688 recorded through the same period in 2025, an increase of about 6.5 percent, according to department data.

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The May total works out to an average of about 27 emergency incidents per day.

The department also reported an increase after April, when firefighters had responded to 769 emergency calls for the month and 3,073 calls for the year. At that point, the department said it was trending 5 percent ahead of 2025.

The data comes just a few weeks after Marlborough firefighters spoke up to press 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 last month 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.

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.

In a social media post, 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.

The City of Marlborough and the Marlborough City Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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