STONE HARBOR – Stone Harbor Fire Chief Roger Stanford told Borough Council Feb. 15 that his budget for 2022, if approved, allows for utilizing three paid summer firefighters during the summer season. These are new positions similar to special officers, or what many still call summer cops.
Stanford made these remarks while reporting on January demand for fire services, which he said was at a record high. According to Stanford, the month saw 37 fire calls compared with 19 in January 2021 and 12 in 2020.
Stanford has been reporting regularly on the rise in calls for fire or emergency medical services in the borough, a phenomenon that appears to correlate with a changing pattern of second home use with property owners in town for longer periods.
Stone Harbor made the move to full-time paid firefighters in 2021 to augment what had traditionally been an all-volunteer fire company. Stanford expects the paid summer season firefighters would come from the volunteer ranks.
