Templeton Firefighters - Local 5311

06/15/2026

Please see this important message from our brothers and sisters in blue!

06/11/2026

Well, it looks like the Chairman of the Select Board is at it yet again – targeting public safety for doing their job. This time he has an issue that Templeton Fire Department sent people to Winchendon on the Engine for a multiple alarm structure fire. Due to the high heat and fire conditions, there were several medical emergencies at the fire. This brought Templeton’s ambulance to the scene as they were the closest—something called mutual aid—and the ambulance responded with one off duty full-time member and one call member. With the need for additional manpower, Templeton’s Ladder responded with four firefighters shortly thereafter. It was a great mutual aid response to help our neighboring town during a significant emergency.

While Templeton Fire was working in Winchendon, Hubbardston Fire provided a cover engine for our community while Wood’s Ambulance, a mutual aid (there’s that scary word again) partner provided coverage with an ambulance. Shout out to Hubbardston Professional Firefighters-Local 4957 and Wood’s Ambulance.

Mr. Bennett is right; we have two ambulances in town. We also have a staffing shortage on the department. We were lucky to get the response of personnel that we did yesterday. Mutual aid handled the rest, which it is meant to do. It’s temporary assistance for when departments need to rely on outside sources for major incidents or for multiple calls occurring at the same time.

If the Chairman of the Select Board has such an issue with the mutual aid responses all around, perhaps he should act on the SAFER grant that was brought to his board’s attention by Chief Dickie last week. To our knowledge, the Chairman deferred discussion to the end of the board’s meeting when discussing layoffs. We’re still waiting for an answer, Mr. Bennett.

Oh, and before we forget. Local 5311 reached out you, Mr. Bennett, and the rest of the Select Board on June 1st to see what we can do to partner with you to help bring funding to the town that Senator Durant has been able to secure. Only one member responded; thank you Mrs. April Cover. Since you won’t respond to our email, maybe you can respond to us on here? We’ve had several citizens ask what we can do to help the situation, and this is one answer. Let’s partner together to get some of the funding the state awarded like the $100,000 for Holden Fire Department, $50,000 for West Brookfield Fire Department, $37,000 for Spencer EMS, $33,000 Oakham Police and Fire.

We’re ready to chat when you are.

06/10/2026

Over the next few weeks, you may see some of us on your property taking a look at fire hydrants. No need to worry—we’re just updating our records to make sure we have an accurate list of active hydrants and the information associated with them. Thanks for your understanding and cooperation!

06/05/2026

Sharing in support of our brothers and sisters in blue!

In just a few weeks there will be no police from 11pm-7am. With three bars in town does that sound like a good idea to you?

06/02/2026

Losing police officers impacts all aspects of public safety. It is important to know the effects across the community.

06/01/2026

Seems legit to us!

From the 2019 FBI UCR REPORT.

The New England region has 2.2 police officers per 1,000 residents on average.

With current staffing levels the Town of Templeton has 1.18 officers per 1,000 residents. Which is 46% lower than the regional average.

Yes. That is 46% lower…

We are 4 weeks away from losing positions from our already severely understaffed department. There will be NO overnight coverage and response times will greatly increase.

We should be adding officers in a town with almost 8,500 people and 3 bars that will be open later than we have police coverage. This is a recipe for disaster.

05/27/2026

We know a thing or two about short staffing, and this is unacceptable! Your safety, our safety, and their safety is on the line.

Please take a moment to see our staffing levels compared to other communities.

How can we afford to lose two or more positions when we are already operating with a skeleton crew?

Services and response times are going to be affected. No police on duty overnight in a town with three bars is asking for big problems.

05/25/2026

Today we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our great nation. May their courage forever inspire us.

05/24/2026

Our deepest sympathies to BFD and the family of Brother Kilduff. Rest in Peace.

05/20/2026

We are dismayed to see that the town is now looking at in excess of a $750,000 shortfall, despite being told that everything had been worked out diligently, line by line by the Select Board.

As if the fire budget hadn’t been hit enough - maintenance for an aging fleet cut by 50%, gear for personnel was cut, per diem, overtime, and sick hours were cut. The training budget was cut as well.

Now we are being told by the chair of the select board that we need to target the big three - police, fire, and DPW.  These departments are working at bare-bones in the next fiscal year as it is, and you want to continue to take from them?  You have decimated the ranks so that when an emergency happens, you’re going to be waiting for an ambulance, fire apparatus, or police officer.

As a taxpayer, you should be appalled. Your board is telling you what you want hear while posting things like this. Who really has the best interest of the town at heart when they plan to destroy public safety?