Take the survey: Fire chief seeks community input for first-ever MFD master plan

MANCHESTER, NH –  From the window of his corner office on the upper floor of Central Station, Chief Ryan Cashin’s daily view is of an ever-changing cityscape, steeped in tradition.

After more than two decades in fire service – and a fast trajectory from lieutenant to chief of the state’s largest fire department, Cashin has to be focused on how to lead Manchester forward. That’s why he has sanctioned the development of the city’s first-ever master plan.

“Our operations wil be evaluated in its entirety as we try to figure out where we are, where we’re going and how we get there,” Cashin says.

An 18-question online survey is available now through July 14.  Cashin is hoping every member of the community responds takes a few minutes to respond.

“The community survey is going to be a few key questions but we really want to get feedback and honest input,” Cashin says. A similar survey for firefighters and internal staff has also been circulated. The survey results will be compiled and analyzed by an outside company, Dynamix, which the fire department has contracted with to carry out the master planning process.

Although the mission of Manchester’s fire department – or any fire service department – has changed since the days of the horse-drawn tank pump wagon and a bucket brigade, the ideal candidate has not: fire departments still are seeking those who wants to be active in their communities and whose instinct is to respond to wherever the need is greatest.

That’s why a big part of future planning means keeping pace with an ever-changing world and making sure that the risk of fire service jobs matches the reward.

In a state where, according to the most recent 2002 report, 1,704 full-time firefighters with an average age of 41.3 and average service time of 13 years make about $79,949, the struggle for recruitment and retention is real.

When he joined the fire service in 1999 there were more than 400 prospects waiting in line with him for a slot as a Manchester firefighter.

“Currently we have seven prospects. And we’ve lucked out, to be able to hire when we’ve needed to, but statewide there are fewer firefighters than jobs,” Cashin says. “We need to make sure our fire department is competing,” when it comes to pay, benefits and training.

And while the general public may not understand fully the life of a firefighter, Cashin says it’s become a highly specialized field with a growing number of opportunities.

“One path to being a certified firefighter and advanced EMT with a CDL requires two years of schooling at $15,000, and a lot of our members have college degrees on top of that, so when you factor in the cost of living, school loans, rising rents, getting people to move to the city for any job is difficult,” Cashin says.

And add to that the physical challenges.

The ability to perform their jobs under often extreme weather conditions or dangerous circumstances given the older construction of many of the city’s buildings is one thing; but data continues to bear out the heightened job-related health risks to firefighters.

“We’re launching the state’s first firefighter cancer screening pilot program in two weeks in partnership with Dartmouth Hitchcock and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield for skin and lung cancer screening,” Cashin says. The goal is to take the results of the pilot to the state legislature so that screening can be mandated for all firefighters statewide.

The latest stats show that firefighters are 60 percent more likely to develop cancer than the rest of the population – risk factors include soot, vehicle exhaust and smoke, which can also be absorbed through the skin, and chemicals present in fire service turnout gear that have been linked with cancer, according to a recent study from the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

“We’ve had multiple members with cancer, and it’s not just here in Manchester. We’re seeing it in other places,” says Cashin.

Part of the master plan will also evaluate the city’s fire stations, locations and potential for future development. Cashin notes that Central Station, built in 1971, is rapidly reaching its expected lifespan.

The building is a vital hub which includes three fire companies, houses administration, training, and prevention as well as emergency management and dispatch, and the city’s information system is located in the basement.

“There are things we’re able to do to update it technically, including elevators so it meets ADA standards, and other retrofits to buy us some time, but definitely we will be looking at all of that as part of the master planning process,” Cashin said. “It might not be for 10 years from now, but that’s why planning is important.”

Cashin only has to reflect on all the changes in the city – and the world – since his first day on the job 24 years ago to know that looking back is not the way forward.

“We’re living in a different place and what I’ve consistently said is that we don’t want a fire department that worked 10 years ago, we want one that works 10 years from now.”

Click here to take the online survey now via SurveyMonkey.