Going around town talking to the locals, people like how Andover has a “small town feel,” and I agree. One drawback about being a smaller town in our area is not having full-time emergency services. The Police Department has full-time personnel but is not staffed 24 hours a day; the Fire and EMS Departments are also both fully volunteer.

In 2009, when I joined the Fire Department, there were about 20 active (not just on the roster) members and EMS had about 12. Daytime was, as it still is, difficult, as most of our members are at work. In the 15 years I have been in the department, members have come and gone. 

Currently we have about 10 active Fire Department members and about five active EMS members. It is a great core of people, but the numbers are declining. The average age of the department is about 40 years old. We need some younger blood! 

I have asked people over the years if they would be interested in joining either department. Some say they are too busy, afraid of fire, have kids, don’t like blood, or do not know anything about fire or EMS. While those answers are respectable, we still have an enrollment issue. 

Plainly said: the number of people joining is not enough! Andover averages 100 fire calls and 200 EMS calls annually. Those numbers are truly not that large. Yes, we are called a Fire Department/EMS Department but we are an EVERYTHING Department. 

For example, we respond to calls such as: tree on wires, trees down, alarms sounding, motor vehicle accidents, sick people, water problems, animals/people stuck in places (not just trees), lost people, and fires, just to name a few. When someone calls for help, we answer. Most calls for service are mild, low-risk incidents that last one hour or less. 

With a call, on average, every 1.21 days, the interruptions to our lives are not that impactful. Being a volunteer means, if you are busy, do not go. The more members active on our roster makes it a greater chance that people will be available to respond when called. 

All types of professions make up our agency. We have had mechanics, contractors, nurses, teachers, salesmen, engineers, farmers, stay-at-home parents, truck drivers, retired people, and so on.

Please come and meet us and see what we’re all about. If you find out it interests you, we will teach you! We can show you what we know and help you grow. 

You’ll also learn more about the town and meet your neighbors along the way. The level of satisfaction in knowing you helped someone is well worth it. This is what a small town is about: neighbors helping neighbors.

Meeting Information:
First, Second, and Third Mondays of the Month: Fire Department meets at 7 PM, at the Main Street Station.
Second Wednesday of the Month: EMS meets at  7PM, at the Main Street Station.
Contact EMS Chief Andrew Perkins at andoverEMS@nullandover-nh.gov or Fire Chief Steve Barton at sajbarton31c1@nullgmail.com with any questions.