Following an influx of funding from the town, the Georgetown Fire Department has hired three full-time firefighters to begin duty this week, with another reporting in September.
The firefighters plan to work Monday to Friday to accommodate the town’s growing population and development. “We’ve also seen that it’s become increasingly challenging to staff our day shifts with part-time firefighters. It’s a huge commitment, and we need full-time staff to provide a consistent, full response,” Chief Fred Mitchell said.
Each of the new firefighters, including Haverhill’s Brian Belfiore, has already been working at the station part-time for at least two years.
In Firefighter Bret Moyer’s case, he is a legacy Georgetown firefighter, following in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather. “This is second nature for me. I was born and raised in Georgetown. I enjoy helping the community where I live and work,” says Moyer, a 14 year veteran of the department.
The new hires —including James Driscoll and Jennifer Hicks—plan to work in teams of two from 6 a.m.-2 p.m. and 8 a.m. 4 p.m., Chief Mitchell said. The department will continue to be staffed by full-time, part-time and on-call firefighters.
“This is an exciting time for our department and the town,” Mitchell said. “We’ll be able to provide a more consistent response by having a group of full-time firefighters available during the day to assist our part-time and call firefighters. This is a great model that works well for the needs of the town.”