Barrington's new town manager has taken a closer look at staffing levels in the fire department and is recommending that four firefighters be added to the force.

Jim Cunha said the additional firefighters — one position would be added to each of the four shifts — would allow the department to man two rescue vehicles far more frequently than it currently does. 

Read the letter questioning staffing levels at the fire department.

Mr. Cunha said the increase in manpower would offer significant benefits to the community, reducing the reliance on mutual aid from other towns and decreasing the response times to people in need of assistance. 

Response times was the subject of a letter to the editor from Matthew and Luciana Amaral in this newspaper back in November. The Broadview Drive residents wrote that when their young son was having a medical emergency, the family had to wait for a rescue from a nearby department.

"One of Barrington’s ambulances was at RI Hospital and the second ambulance was parked in the fire house because the department didn’t have enough firefighters on staff to operate it," wrote the Amarals. "That horrifying evening, we thought our son was dying right before our eyes as we waited in a state of panic for the mutual aid rescue truck to arrive.

"The police and fire department staffing needs to be reevaluated for the safety and security of the residents of Barrington. Relying on mutual aid is not the answer, especially when one of our residents is struggling for life!"

Thankfully the Amarals' son recovered from the emergency, but the experience added to town officials' concerns about the staffing levels at the local fire department. 

"No one else in Rhode Island goes as low (with staffing levels) as we do," said Barrington Fire Chief Gerald Bessette. "No one."

Chief Bessette said the number of response calls has nearly doubled for the department over the last 10 years, while the manpower has remained stagnant at 24 firefighters. In 2006, the fire department made about 1,300 response calls. That figure has grown to more than 2,000 this year. Chief Bessette said part of the increase in emergency calls has to do with a shift in demographics.

"It puts a burden on mutual aid," he said. 

The chief said the department is able to man two rescue vehicles about 44 percent of the time. With the addition of four more firefighters, the force would reportedly be able to man two rescue vehicles closer to 90 percent of the time there is an emergency call. 

"It's always been my goal to have it at 100 percent," Chief Bessette said. 

Mr. Cunha said the four additional firefighter positions would come at a cost — a little more than $300,000 per year initially. The new town manager said that adding the four additional firefighters would benefit the community in a variety of ways.

Chief Bessette added that the town could also see some financial advantages to adding more firefighters. The chief said the department earns about $400 in rescue billing for each emergency call; the total figure for rescue billing is about $550,000 annually. 

"I think it will push closer to $600,000 once we run the second truck," said the chief.

The additional manpower will also result in better, safer working conditions for firefighters, said the chief. The head of the department said Barrington has the lowest staffing levels on emergency responses, often times sending two men on an engine and just 1 with a ladder truck.

"My guys have to be so diligent on a call," he said. "There is no margin for error."

It has been 10 years since Barrington increased the number of firefighters in the department. In 2006, the department went from 20 men to 24. 

"I think the new town manager recognizes the need. I recognize the need," said Chief Bessette. 

The future development of housing complexes have also been part of the discussion regarding fire department staffing. There are currently plans to bring an age-in-place facility to the former Zion Bible College property. The Palmer Pointe workforce housing development on Sowams Road is also in the works.