10/31/2025
Mansfield Firefighters Call for Increased Staffing Amid Rising Emergency Calls
Mansfield, MA - October 31, 2025
The Mansfield Fire Department is calling for staffing changes, citing a sharp increase in emergency responses and growing safety concerns as personnel levels remain unchanged.
According to Mansfield Firefighters Local 1820, crews have responded to 3,433 emergency calls between January 1 and October 27, 2025 - an increase of 187 incidents compared to the same period last year.
Despite the rise in calls, the department continues to operate with a minimum eight firefighters per shift, staffing two two-person engines and two two-person ambulances. Officials note that the East Street ambulance is cross-staffed with the department’s Tower Ladder, meaning only one of the two can be in service at any given time.
Union leaders say current staffing levels fall well below NFPA 1710 standards, which recommend four firefighters per engine or ladder and 15 personnel on the initial alarm for a single-family home fire, nearly double their current staffing levels.
Understaffing impacts both the effected department, as well as surrounding departments who may be more heavily relied upon for mutual aid.
“Growing demands and stagnant staffing are increasing the risk to both our firefighters and the residents we serve,” the union said in a statement.
Looking ahead, the department says its responsibilities continue to expand beyond traditional emergency response, with a growing focus on Community EMS and Public Health programs to support elderly, medically fragile, and behavioral health populations.
“These changes aren’t about growth for the sake of growth,” the statement continued. “They’re about building a department that can safely meet the needs of our residents — today and tomorrow.”
📸: Mansfield Fire Department
