Monterey Fire Department Expands Staffing to Meet Changing Needs

As many of you are aware, the Monterey Fire Department has taken a significant step toward insuring emergency response and protecting residents, adding three full-time positions this summer and fall following voter approval at Town Meeting in May. The additions bring the department’s full-time staff to six, including Fire Chief Tryon.

The six staffers operate under two-person crews. In the weeks ahead, each two-person crew will begin taking turns working 48-hour shifts, supplemented by per diem firefighters and firefighters responding to calls.

As discussed in public hearings, these changes reflect a broader challenge facing fire departments locally, regionally and nationally: Fewer volunteers are available to respond to emergencies. Even just 12 years ago, Monterey could count on local volunteers to fill its apparatus and answer calls. Today, that model is no longer sustainable on its own.

While the new staffing arrangement represents an important improvement, it does not eliminate the need for help from neighboring communities. Mutual aid remains essential, particularly for major incidents such as structure fires, which require many more firefighters than a small department can provide independently.

According to National Fire Protection Association standards, a structure fire in a building up to 2,000 square feet calls for a response of approximately 15 to 17 personnel. Monterey’s expanded staffing brings the department closer to meeting that need, but regional support remains critical.

“We simply don’t have the numbers to meet that standard on our own,” said Chief Tryon. “But with regional support and improved staffing, we’re in a much better place.”

Monterey is not alone in adapting to these changing demands. Other Berkshire County communities have also added paid personnel or adjusted their staffing models. For example, reported full-time staffing figures include 10 in Lee, 10 in Lenox, five in Great Barrington, five in Egremont, and four in Otis. Stockbridge and West Stockbridge share a regional staffing arrangement that includes eight full-time fire/EMS professionals, one full-time chief and two deputy chiefs. Staffing structures and the roles included in these figures vary among communities.

Training remains another priority. In Monterey, each shift crew conducts nightly training, and the department holds department-wide drills on the first Wednesday of every month. Monterey is also continuing to strengthen its relationships with mutual aid partners.

The transition marks a new chapter for the department: building a more reliable, around-the-clock local response while maintaining the regional partnerships that remain vital to public safety.