10/29/2026
As we approach the referendum, I want to clarify why this proposal is so important for our fire department and our communities. This is not about questioning the commitment of our current firefighters. Our volunteers consistently give their time and energy, often under challenging circumstances. The issue is that our community has grown, our service area is expanding, and our current model cannot reliably meet the increasing demand for timely emergency response.
We currently serve nearly 33,000 residents across 49 square miles, not including the many people who work, visit or travel through our area each day. In January 2027, our district will expand by nearly 15 additional square miles. With this growth, the expectations and needs of the community naturally increase.
Currently in the City of Hudson, our 90th percentile response time for the first fire engine to arrive is 14 minutes, and across the entire district that number increases to nearly 18 minutes. These times are well above best practice emergency response standards. By having 3 shifts of 3 full-time firefighters, it will greatly reduce the time it takes to respond to emergencies and calls for service.
While it’s often mentioned that we “average” two calls per day, we are already more than 9% ahead of last year’s volume and projected to exceed 700 calls this year. Along with training, equipment maintenance, public education, and other responsibilities, this workload places a considerable burden on a volunteer-based system. Even with 53 members on the roster, we only average about 17 firefighters per call simply because people have jobs, families, and schedules that don’t always allow them to respond.
The question becomes: if not now, when? Delaying this decision won’t make the need disappear, it will only make future solutions more costly. As fire chief, it’s my responsibility to identify operational challenges and address them proactively rather than wait for a preventable tragedy to highlight the gaps.
I appreciate the community taking the time to understand the facts and consider what level of fire and emergency service they expect moving forward.
Thank you for your continued support of the Hudson Fire Department.
Fire Chief, Drew Spielman
