Bangor’s newest fire chief wants to prioritize the health and safety of firefighters and the community during his tenure.
Eric Pelletier became fire chief of the Bangor Fire Department on Aug. 10 after his hiring was unanimously confirmed by the Bangor City Council. He will make just shy of $150,000 a year for four years, according to his contract.
Pelletier takes on the department’s highest role two decades after he first joined it. After starting in 2005, he worked his way up to become the city’s first deputy chief eight years ago. Pelletier served as interim chief this summer after the previous chief, Geoffrey Low, abruptly resigned a year and a half into a three-year contract. He started his career as a volunteer firefighter in his hometown of Carmel.
“It allows me a greater opportunity to advocate for the health and safety of our firefighters and the citizens we protect,” said Pelletier, who noted the opportunity also allows him to help shape the future through improving recruitment and retention and building relationships with residents.
Bangor is the second largest department in the state, which means it can offer specialized training, such as rope and water rescues, for its employees that smaller departments don’t often encounter, Pelletier said.
Adding a fourth ambulance will help ensure the community is safe while reducing the call volume for paramedics, he said. That fourth ambulance is only operating during the day right now, but will expand to 24-hour service.
“It’s going to help our people reduce some of the burnout,” Pelletier said. “When you’re running 30 calls a day in between training, the actual call, the paperwork, there’s a lot to it. It can wear you down after a while.”
The department should be fully staffed in early October when the latest round of new hires starts. The city budgeted for eight new firefighter paramedic positions and a new training officer. In addition to training staff, Pelletier hopes that person can resume offering community classes, such as how to use a fire extinguisher, Pelletier said.
The fire department has partnered with Wellness Center of Maine to provide mental health resources for employees, especially because PTSD is a big concern, Pelletier said.
“There’s a lot of things that we’re going to be looking at investing into our people,” Pelletier said. “The health and safety, the training, those are some of the things I’m really excited about.”