Croydon Fire and EMS Weigh Options

With volunteer firefighter numbers dwindling across the state and nation, the town of Croydon, New Hampshire has found itself questioning how to better serve its residents after its full-time service provider increased its fees.

The town is currently served by a small volunteer force that remains unpaid due to the state’s non-profit laws, though the majority of the town’s calls are handled by Newport Fire & EMS.

Newport Fire & EMS has served Croydon – along with the towns of Goshen and half of Sunapee – for more than a decade, but the Newport selectboard voted just last month to increase its fees to outside towns.

That change resulted in an increase of more than $26,000 for the town of Croydon, prompting concern among the town’s selectboard that its volunteer staff won’t be able to handle a potential lack of support from Newport. The selectboard plans to meet with volunteer firefighters during an upcoming non-public meeting.