Fire Commission

BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 Chief’s Report to the Burlington Fire Commission: April Data Points Call Volume & Activity Summary: Total Incidents for the month of April: 880 Total Incidents: (As of 5/1/26) 3,455 • Fire Incidents: 171 • EMS: 622 • Hazmat: 8 • Technical Rescue: 9 • Significant Incidents: 1. 4/1 21 Hyde St. 1st Alarm 2. 4/10 22 Main St. Winooski – 1st Alarm 3. 4/23 1500 Spear St. South Burlington - Backyard trailer fire 4. 4/23 528 Essex Rd. Williston – 3rd Alarm fire During the same period in 2025 we responded to 866 incidents, a 1.6% increase from last year.  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 This NERIS diagram shows call volume based on time of day and days of the week.  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 EMS Data: The following charts presents monthly data on EMS-confirmed overdose and drug-related incidents in our community from 2021 through April 2026. It categorizes the top types of substances involved, based on working diagnoses and secondary impressions gathered in the field. This chart above shows monthly confirmed overdose/drug-related incidents from 2021 through April 2026. This graph shows a significant increase in confirmed drug-related overdose and poisoning incidents from 2021 through 2023, with monthly totals rising from single digits in early 2021 to a peak of 47 events in September 2023. Activity remained elevated throughout 2024 and into 2025, with several months exceeding 30 incidents and another peak of 40 events in October 2025. Data for early 2026 shows a notable decline, with April 2026 reporting 13 events, suggesting a possible recent decrease in overdose-related emergency calls, though continued monitoring will be important to determine if this trend continues. This chart shows monthly confirmed overdose and drug-related incidents from 2021 through April 2026 and highlights that opioid-related overdoses are consistently the most common and volatile driver of events, with sharp spikes—especially in late 2023, 2024, and mid-2025—followed by cases involving other illicit drugs or  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 misuse of medications, which often rise and fall in parallel and likely reflect polysubstance use; all other categories (meth/psychoactive, cocaine, alcohol co-use, and intentional medication overdose) remain relatively low and stable by comparison, indicating that while multiple substances may be involved in individual incidents, the overall overdose burden and operational impact are overwhelmingly driven by opioids and complex drug combinations rather than single-substance events. This chart shows the number of BFD calls that were dispatched as overdoses each month, compared to how many were actually confirmed as overdoses once crews arrived on scene. While the total number of overdose- dispatched calls rises and falls over time, only a portion of those calls are ultimately confirmed by responders. In most months, confirmed overdoses make up roughly 20–40% of the total, with some variation. CRT Data for April 2026: Staffed 9 days for the month of April Total Contacts Narcan Kits Wound Care Comfort Care Referrals Kits Kit 30 0 1 0 2 BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 Personnel & Staffing Total Department Staff: Uniformed Members 88 / Authorized 95 - 1 Civilian Member • Minimum Daily Staffing: 22 • Vacancies: 7 • Injuries/LOA/FMLA: 9 • Staff Training Hours: 1,110 Hours • Company Level Inspections: 3 • Preplans Completed: 107 Overtime Type 2025 Hours 2026 Hours %+- Minimum Staffing 1001 1571.5 +56.9% Mandatory 124 110 -11.2% CRT 306 269 -12% Emergency 24.25 12 -50.5% Extra Duty Events 36 41 +13.8% Community Engagement • 4/3 BFD Spring Training Seminar • 4/15 FMO Community TV Interview • 4/17 Flynn School Fire Safety Presentation • 4/20 ECH Paramedic Student Precepting • 4/23 & 24 BHS Students Ride along Downtown • 4/25 Kids Fest at YMCA • 4/26 Ride along Engine 1 Social Media:  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 Chief’s Report to the Fire Commission: May Data Points June 9, 2026 Call Volume & Activity Summary: Total Incidents for the month of May: 956 Total Incidents: (As of 6/1/26) 4412 • Fire Incidents: 196 • EMS: 689 • Hazmat: 8 • Technical Rescue: 16 • Significant Incidents: 1. 1st Alarm Structure Fire 15 Blondin Circle During the same period in 2025 we responded to 1023 incidents, a 6.5% decrease from last year. BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 This treemap summarizes the distribution of 870 completed and reviewed incidents by incident category and type. It reflects only reports that have been finalized and reviewed and does not include incidents that are still pending completion or awaiting approval, which may result in differences from total incident counts reported elsewhere. EMS Data: Confirmed drug overdose events have fluctuated significantly over the past five years, with monthly totals ranging from a low of 7 events in January 2021 to a peak of 47 events in September 2023. Following elevated activity during 2022–2024, overdose incidents generally declined through late 2025 and early 2026. May 2026 recorded 25 confirmed overdose events, representing an increase from the previous several months and the highest monthly total recorded so far in 2026.  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 This chart shows the number of BFD calls that were dispatched as overdoses each month, compared to how many were actually confirmed as overdoses once crews arrived on scene. While the total number of overdose- dispatched calls rises and falls over time, only a portion of those calls are ultimately confirmed by responders. In most months, confirmed overdoses make up roughly 20–40% of the total, with some variation. CRT Data for May 2026: Staffed 6 days for the month of May Total Contacts Narcan Kits Wound Care Comfort Care Referrals Kits Kit 27 0 0 0 1  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 Personnel & Staffing Total Department Staff: Uniformed Members 92 / Authorized 95 (5 recruits started 5/26) ❖ Arie Van Vuuren resigned 5/14/26 and has been hired by a department in Colorado. We wish him the best of luck. ❖ SFF Class completed ❖ FF/Medic Jason Paul received Excellence in Trauma Care award from UVM • Minimum Daily Staffing: 22 • Vacancies: 3 (as of 5/26) Recruits do not count for staffing until completion of academy • Injuries/LOA/FMLA: 9 • Staff Training Hours: 969 • Company Level Inspections: 3 • Preplans Completed: 52 Overtime Type 2025 Hours 2026 Hours %+- Minimum Staffing 726 1159.75 +59.7 Mandatory 185.75 228.5 +23 CRT 287.5 134.5 -53.2 Emergency 34.5 0 -100 Extra Duty Events 119 125 +5  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 Community Engagement • 5/4 Burlington School District Safety Team Meeting • 5/5 Champlain Elementary School - Public Education – Engine 5 • 5/11 Flynn School Tour – Ladder 4 • 5/11 Ride Along- Ladder 2 • 5/21 Flynn School Tour – Ladder 4 • 5/25 Memorial Day Event – Ladder 2, Ambulance 2, Engine 1, Tower 1, Battalion 1 • 5/25 Ride Along Engine 1 and Engine 3 • 5/27 Edmunds Elementary School – Public Education • 5/27 Fire Safety Education- PP of fire types and fire extinguishers. Live fire training with water cans and Heritages Air training prop. • 5/30 Girl Scouts Career Fair - Fire Safety Education- Taught fire extinguisher use.  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 DIVISION UPDATES: Training Division: Eight members completed Swiftwater Rescue Technician training through Vermont EMS Academy. · Four members attended hands on skills training at Metro Boston Fire School. · Six members attended hands on Technical Rescue Training through New England Rescue Collaborative. · Three members attended Rope Rescue Operations with the Vermont USAR team. · Recruit Academy 26-01 is under way with five new recruits. The Academy is expected to finish on October 2nd. · The department is nearly finished with Spring Live Burn Training. B shift completed their burn on May 6, C shift on May 20. A shifts burn is scheduled for June 3rd. · The department received a grant extension for the Live Burn Training and will begin scheduling another round of live burns for the Fall. Operations Division: 4/17: Attended a LEMP meeting with representatives from the Red Cross and VEMA. · 5/6: Participated in a Live Burn training exercise with B Shift at the Vermont Fire Academy (VFA). · 5/14: Attended a recognition ceremony at UVMMC for members whose actions during a recent trauma incident resulted in a life-saving outcome. · 5/24: Staffed the EOC for the City Marathon; reported no significant events despite heavy rain. · 6/1: Attended the Boston Fire Department LODD funeral accompanied by a delegation of 11 department members. Ongoing & Regular Engagements · Budgeting: Active participation in budget planning meetings. · Dispatch: Ongoing attendance at regularly scheduled meetings with the Dispatch Supervisor. · Fleet Management: Regular meetings regarding the department’s fleet replacement strategy. · Inter-Agency Coordination: Regular meetings held with BC EMS, the Training Division, and the Fire Marshal’s Office. · New Ladder 2: Continued committee and dealer discussions regarding apparatus specifications and necessary design changes. · Problem Properties: Consistent attendance and monitoring of the City’s problem properties. · Public Events: Currently engaged in preparatory meetings for the July 3rd fireworks display at the waterfront. · Rescue Assets: Actively pursuing grants for technical rescue gear and training; currently awaiting a status update on the rescue boat grant application submitted to the VT HSU. FMO Division: Attended the BHS monthly safety meeting to discuss current fire safety inspections. Also discussed the importance of reporting all fire occurrences no matter how small. Offered to visit all schools to conduct fire safety education and train school staff in the use of fire extinguishers. Attended monthly meetings with DPW and DPI. Attended BFD live burns at the VT Fire Academy.  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 EMS Division Update: LIFEPAK 35 Implementation The EMS Division continues preparations for deployment of the new LIFEPAK 35 cardiac monitors. Initial training has been completed, with scenario-based training scheduled prior to implementation. Deployment will expand advanced monitoring capabilities to reserve ambulances A5 and A6, as well as Car-5, improving fleet readiness, operational resilience, and equipment standardization across the EMS system. EMS Data & Strategic Reporting On May 28, 2026, the EMS Division presented updated EMS utilization data to the Public Safety Committee. Building on this work, the Division is developing a monthly EMS report designed to move beyond call-volume statistics and provide trend analysis, strategic insights, and operational recommendations. Future reporting will incorporate patient demographics, utilization patterns, overdose trends, and other emerging community indicators to better support operational planning and resource allocation. The first edition of this enhanced report is anticipated in August 2026. These initiatives reflect the EMS Division’s continued focus on advancing patient care, operational readiness, and data-informed decision-making. Administration Division: • Station Projects: o Station 1 – Window renovation timeline still TBD o Station 1 – Initial stages of kitchen renovation project o Station 1 – Basement garage door needs complete replacement o Station 1 – Conference room mini-split to be repaired o Station 1 – Working with Capt. Burns and Kim Bleakley to repair front ramp. o Station 2 – Apparatus floor project is complete, other than plans to stripe apparatus o Station 2 – Basement garage door complete replacement needed o Station 2 – RTU motor recently replaced. o Station 3 – Ongoing planning phase for dorm-room remodel o Station 3 – Basement heater requires replacement. o Station 3 – Recent completion of significant repairs/replacements to Sprinkler system. o Station 4 & Station 5 – Plan to push for parking lot and front ramp repairs. o All stations – HVAC PM Service was recently completed. • Personnel Projects: o Collaboration with HR and BC Savoy to roll-out use of UKG for Annual Employee Appraisal Process. Training on process and new UKG appraisal tool will be in early June. o Collaboration with HR and BC Savoy related to employee onboarding process. o Collaboration with HR and BFFA relative to job descriptions. o Finalizing preparations for new hires • Policy Projects: o Working with city attorney’s office to finalize changes to Ride-Along Policy and the implementation of a cost recovery fee when completing background checks for observers. o Exploring the potential for CAD shared services in collaboration with City IT. Burlington Fire Department EMS Analysis Fire Commission Presentation JUNE 9 TH , 2026  Situation Table 2026 Data 1/1/2026 – 5/26/2026 Through the first five months of 2026, BFD has brought 12 people to the Situation Table. That is the most of any participating agency. 14 different agencies have assisted these people as members of small outreach teams: Adult Protective Services, Age Well, Burlington Community Justice Center (CJC), Burlington Fire Department, Burlington Housing Authority (BHA), Burlington Police Department (BPD), Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO), Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS), Community Health Centers – Safe Harbor, Department for Children and Families – Economic Services, Howard Center - Street Outreach, Turning Point of Chittenden County, UVM Medical Center, Vermont Chronic Care Initiative (VCCI) 7 of these 12 people had their overall risk lowered and were connected to services. 1 situation remains open & active. Analysis preliminary and subject to change.  Introduction Our previous analysis looked at our impact cohort: individuals who used EMS three or more times in a given month. We found that a relatively small percentage of users accounted for a disproportionately large share of EMS calls. We then sought to further examine types of calls to better understand what they reveal about EMS system utilization and community needs. Using provider-entered data fields describing patient symptoms and impressions, we developed 12 categories to better identify patterns and trends. Analysis preliminary and subject to change.  Diagnosis / Symptom Categories Categorized EMS incidents Incidents categorized based on Source: providers’ Siren ‘Working Diagnosis’ and ‘Primary Data Symptom’ 1/1/2025– 4/30/2026 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.  Diagnosis / Symptom Categories Categorized EMS incidents Incidents categorized based on Source: providers’ Siren ‘Working Diagnosis’ and ‘Primary Data Symptom’ 1/1/2025– 4/30/2026 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.  Diagnosis / Symptom Categories About one-quarter of EMS incidents are ‘No Signs or Symptoms’, substance related, or psychiatric / behavior related. Source: Siren Data 1/1/2025– 4/30/2026 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.  Transport Rate by Category Source: Siren Data 1/1/2025– 4/30/2026 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.  Top Transported Patients (Each column represents one person) Source: Siren Data 1/1/2025– 4/30/2026 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.  Categories for Top Transported Patients (Each column represents one person) Source: Siren Data 1/1/2025– 4/30/2026 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.  Housing Status for Top Transported Patients (Each column represents one person) Source: Siren Data 1/1/2025– 4/30/2026 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.  Call Categories by Housing Status Calls to the homeless population have been twice as likely to be diagnosed as ‘No Signs or Symptoms’, a ‘Psych / Behavior Problem’, or an ‘Alcohol / Substance’ issue. Source: Siren Data 1/1/2025– 3/31/2026 Total calls = 1,566 Total calls = 7,583 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.  ‘No Signs or Symptoms’ Transport Rate by Housing Status 83% of homeless calls diagnosed as ‘No Signs or Symptoms’ were transported to UVMMC; 96% between December and April 48% of those calls for non- homeless were transported. Source: Siren Data Monthly n values: 14 22 20 19 12 13 13 11 10 17 11 19 14 26 6 16 52 44 52 29 47 38 54 42 38 30 39 41 48 33 27 31 1/1/2025– 4/30/2026 Total calls = 243 Total calls = 645 Analysis preliminary and subject to change.  Next Steps Refining Definitions Continue to refine call categories, acuity measures, and clinical indicators. System Utilization Evaluate unit hour utilization and operational workload. Healthcare Integration Explore correlations between EMS utilization and Emergency Department demand. Service Development Use findings to inform future EMS response models and system planning. Strategy and Vision Data-informed decision making to strengthen EMS system performance and community response. Analysis preliminary and subject to change. Appendix – Category Definitions Analysis preliminary and subject to change. Appendix – Category Definitions Analysis preliminary and subject to change. Appendix – Category Definitions Analysis preliminary and subject to change. Appendix – Category Definitions Analysis preliminary and subject to change. Appendix – Category Definitions Analysis preliminary and subject to change.