Nantucket Fire Fighters Local 2509 IAFF

Nantucket Fire Fighters Local 2509 members respond to over 4,000 calls (ambulance/rescue/ fire) per year, from a single central fire station, encompassing an area of more than 55 square miles, on an island 30 miles south of Cape Cod. We provide fire, rescue and emergency medical services for the island of Nantucket as professional firefighter/EMT-Bs. The population we serve ranges from 15,000 in the winter to a seasonal population of more than 60,000.

Members work 24 hour shifts that consist of 3- 5 firefighter/EMT-Bs (A minimum of 3 is maintained at all times). The ambulance may respond with 2-3 or the engine may respond with 2-5. Apparatus staffing depends upon shift staffing and the nature of the call (ambulance/rescue/fire). If personnel respond with a single piece of apparatus (engine or ambulance) initially then concurrent call(s) for response (ambulance/rescue/ fire) require off-duty personnel to return to the fire station and respond with additional apparatus (ambulance or engine or other apparatus)

Members of Nantucket Fire Fighters Local 2509 provide ambulance, rescue and fire services under very unique circumstances. Our mainland counterparts have the ability to request assistance (mutual aid) from neighboring communities' if staffing is not available for additional call(s) for response. Mainland departments can request additional ambulance(s), engine(s), or personnel and expect immediate response. Mutual Aid response for Nantucket is hours away, dependent on the time of day, weather and available transportation options.

For the purpose of comparison,Yarmouth Fire Department has a winter population at 25,000 (Nantucket 15,000) a summer population of more than 40,000 (Nantucket 60,000), an area of 25 square miles (Nantucket 55 square miles) and mutual aid within minutes if necessary. Yarmouth Fire Fighters Local 2122 has a total of 63 members (Nantucket 20), with a staffing level of 11-14 (Nantucket 4-5) on each 24 hour shift, responding from 3 stations (Nantucket 1) and responding to 6,000-7,000 calls (Nantucket 5,000) for response (ambulance/rescue/ fire). Yarmouth Fire Fighters Local 2122 members are the busiest firefighters on Cape Cod and are dedicated hard working professionals.

Nantucket Fire Fighters Local 2509 members respond to twice as many calls per firefighter as their busiest counterparts on Cape Cod and the islands.