TIVERTON — One day after a staffing shortage forced the temporary closure of one of Tiverton’s three fire stations, town administrator Chris Cotta announced at an emergency town council meeting Saturday that starting pay for Tiverton firefighters would increase by approximately 35 percent in an effort to address a staffing crisis that has left the department’s ranks substantially reduced.

In addition to the increase in starting pay from $38,427 to $52,000 annually, compensation of existing firefighters will also be adjusted.

As a result of the action, the pay for new Tiverton firefighters now aligns more closely to some neighboring towns, including Portsmouth ($52,944) and Middletown ($53,040).

Council president Denise deMedeiros said the town recently agreed to the union’s request to reopen the firefighters’ three-year union contract, which runs through June 30, 2025, in an attempt to resolve a staffing situation that Fire Chief William Bailey referred to Saturday as “unhealthy and unsustainable.”

He said the department, which is budgeted for 32 firefighters, currently has nine unfilled positions in addition to two other vacancies that exist because individuals are out on family medical leave.

“This has left us with 21 available to do what 32 normally do. Many firefighters and fire officers are working 80 to 100 hours per week.”

Referring to Friday’s staffing issue, Bailey said the department needed at least six or seven firefighters to keep all three stations open. Because two individuals called in sick that day and another was on vacation, the department ended up with only four on duty, which necessitated the closing of Station 1 in the daytime. Deputy Fire Chief Josh Ferreira and Fire Marshal Daniel Murphy worked there in the evening so it could reopen, and other firefighters agreed to extend their shifts to fill in other gaps.

Cotta said the town is taking several steps, in addition to the bump in starting pay, to help ease the current crisis. There is increased focus, for example, on a provision of the union contract that allows the use of out-of-town firefighters on a per diem or part-time basis as long as they are qualified and available to work.

Additionally, Cotta said town officials will meet with representatives of the casino, which pays for both police and fire department coverage, to update them on the current situation and advise that fire details may be impacted.

Cotta gave Tiverton’s current firefighters high marks.

“This is not at all about work performance. They are extremely capable and well qualified to do an excellent job. We just don’t have enough bodies.”

deMedeiros said even with two stations open, the community is still safe.

“It’s not the way we want it to be, but I don’t want people to be worried that they are not safe sitting in their home.”

When both Bailey and Ferreira responded by saying such a scenario could result in delays in response time or limited availability of apparatus, deMedeiros said the town would make every effort to keep all three stations open at all times.

deMedeiros and other councilors expressed confidence in the department’s leadership.

Addressing Bailey, council vice president Mike Burk said, “There have been suggestions you have not been an advocate for your team, but you have been a strong advocate since you’ve arrived…You’ve been pushing us to move forward.”

“We have confidence in you, Chief Bailey ... this does not reflect on you at all, in my opinion,” added deMedeiros.