KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) As emergency calls reach record levels, Keene officials are taking urgent steps to address staffing challenges in the city’s fire department.

In response to mounting pressure on first responders, City Manager Elizabeth Ferland has authorized a temporary increase in staffing while also pushing forward plans to hire four new firefighters.

Currently, the department operates with a single 24-hour shift per day. To provide immediate relief, an extra firefighter will be assigned to each shift using existing personnel, allowing the department to deploy a third ambulance around the clock. However, this measure requires increased overtime, placing additional strain on an already overextended workforce. The funding for this temporary staffing boost is expected to last only a few weeks.

For a long-term solution, the city is working to add four permanent firefighters—one per shift—to help distribute the growing workload. The cost of these positions is estimated at $529,000 annually, though only about $100,000 would be required for the remainder of the current fiscal year, which ends in June. The city initially intended to await a federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant to offset expenses, but uncertainty surrounding its release has led officials to move forward regardless of outside funding.

The need for additional personnel has grown since 2023, when Keene’s private ambulance service, DiLuzio, ceased operations. The fire department has since absorbed those responsibilities, leading to a sharp increase in call volumes, particularly from nursing homes and other medical facilities. Firefighters have been working extensive overtime, with some logging 60 to 67 hours per week, raising concerns about burnout and public safety.

To support the department, the city has allocated limited funds to cover increased overtime costs for the next few weeks. Meanwhile, the Keene City Council’s Finance, Organization, and Personnel Committee unanimously endorsed the resolution to increase staffing levels and fund the overtime at its meeting last Thursday. The full City Council will vote on the measure on April 17.

If approved, the city hopes to hire and onboard new firefighters before the fiscal year ends. Ferland noted that four firefighter candidates are already in the hiring pipeline, meaning they could be brought on board swiftly once funding is secured.