Fire commission votes Bill Parrot full-time chief, effective Sept. 1

Other Committee · Meeting of July 14, 2026

New Canaan Fire Commission makes Bill Parrot full-time chief. The commission voted unanimously to convert Parrot's employment status to full-time fire chief effective September 1, with members thanking him for his service. Parrot disclosed that concrete spalling found July 4 above a firehouse's front apron is being reviewed by an engineer, who does not currently see "a significant structural concern," and floated forming an exploratory committee on repairing or replacing fire buildings.

Fleet issues dominated the rest of the meeting: Engine 4 needs roughly $22,000 in pump and door repairs before a DOT inspection, Tanker 8 will go to dealer Hudson Valley for an independent leak assessment, and the apparatus committee recommended refurbishing rather than replacing the department's ladder truck. New self-contained breathing apparatus units, 33 packs costing about $180,000, arrive in about four weeks. A drop-retirement-program applicant's vote was postponed to September after paperwork was not submitted.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,366 words

Source: the Other Committee meeting of July 14, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

Call to Order, Minutes and Public Comment

The commission opened its July 14 meeting with the pledge of allegiance, led by Kevin Vetty, and approved the June 9 minutes on a motion and second without discussion. The chair noted the sparse attendance in the room made public comment unlikely and, hearing none, moved to the agenda's substantive items.

Fire Chief Employment Status Vote

The commission's first formal action was converting Bill Parrot's employment status to full-time fire chief of the New Canaan Fire Department, effective September 1. The chair initially called for the vote without the effective date, then corrected herself or himself before the motion was made. Members moved and seconded the motion and approved it unanimously by voice vote. Parrot thanked the commission for its support, calling it "a great honor" and praising the department's career company for being "super supportive."

Fire Marshal's Report

Fire Marshal Paul opened by describing the office's inspection backlog: approximately 350 outstanding occupancy inspections remain for the year, which he said works out to a manageable 55-to-60-month pace. He and Donna, an administrative colleague, reviewed the numbers earlier in the month. At the chief's request, the marshal's office and Lieutenant Jackson have begun a pre-planning inspection schedule, starting with the schools; Saxe was being walked the day of the meeting. A separate grant will fund a list of additional properties to focus on beginning in September.

On fire activity, the marshal reported a vehicle fire last month caused by a driver handling battery terminals, a brush fire, and a dumpster fire attributed to spontaneous combustion; the office distributed a public-safety article afterward. Project inspections were largely positive: St. Aloysius School's renovation is "coming out nice," with all emergency systems tested, complete and approved, and the relocation of the alternative high school to 212 Elm Street passed inspection with a certificate of occupancy issued, clearing it to open in September. One matter remains open — an investigation into a fire at 208 Valley Road, where the marshal was invited to attend an outside laboratory's testing of which vehicle battery caused the blaze; he described a roughly three-hour-and-45-minute drive each way to reach the facility and said he is weighing whether to travel there himself or simply request the results.

A commissioner thanked the marshal for public-service announcements on carbon monoxide risk from generators, which the marshal confirmed circulate through the department's official distribution list and, at the commissioner's suggestion, will now also go out on social media.

Fire Chief's Report

Administrative and Grants. Parrot said blanket purchase orders were submitted and approved by the Board of Selectmen on June 26. The department is pursuing a FEMA "micro grant," a federal grant category capped under $75,000, to fund fire hose equipment for multiple-dwelling fires. Working with Greg Riley of the town and Lieutenant Sasser, the department chose the smaller grant tier after larger federal grant applications proved difficult in past years. "We fought in the past, we've gone for larger grants and have some difficulties. So we said, hey, let's try to go for something a little bit smaller and see if it's more reasonable and achievable," Parrot said. A decision is expected in September. The department also hosted a University of Denver student and New Canaan High School graduate, James Bow, as an intern, assigning him administrative and spreadsheet projects; Parrot and Lieutenant BTO also praised firefighter Mike for cooking the firehouse's traditional last-day lunch.

Parrot, Donna and command staff have been attending regular finance-department training sessions with Brian Stacy on department budgeting, which Parrot called "fantastic" and "very, very helpful." Staff have also been dividing deputy emergency manager responsibilities among police, fire and public works so coverage continues when a colleague identified as Russ is unavailable. Parrot, the fire marshal and Russ K also attended a safety-plan meeting at Waveny Care Center, where Parrot said construction is going well and the facility has kept the department apprised of apparatus access and alarm-panel planning.

An apparatus committee has been formed and held a brief organizational meeting; Parrot said more detail would follow as the committee's schedule is set. Parade planning for the town's 250th anniversary went smoothly: because the parade route passed the police station, unified command for the event was run out of the firehouse instead of the town's regular emergency operations center, using drones to maintain situational awareness. Parrot called it "a really nice operation" and said the approach could serve as a template for future large events.

Firehouse Building Status. Parrot, Fire Marshal Paul (referred to elsewhere in the meeting as Paul Tiger) and a person identified as Bill Ostraman held an informal meeting on the condition of the town's firehouses. That review took on new urgency July 4, when an on-duty officer reported hearing noises in a basement; staff found spalling concrete above a drop ceiling near the building's front apron and photographed it for an engineer's review. Parrot said the engineer's preliminary read is that water drainage off the apron is causing the spalling, that exposed rebar is rusted but intact, and that the affected area is small rather than extensive. "He doesn't think it's of a significant structural concern right now, but we're keeping our eye on it," Parrot said, noting a final engineering assessment is pending. He said he briefed the first selectman the day before the meeting and floated the idea of an exploratory committee to study repair, refurbishment or replacement of the department's physical plant, stressing the idea is preliminary. "We understand it's a long process," he said, adding that any building project would involve multiple stakeholders and town-center aesthetic considerations were it to reach that stage.

Community Recognition. Parrot asked to recognize two civilians for assisting at recent alarms: Lucia Pal, who helped at a motor vehicle accident near St. Luke's, and a woman he identified as Tatiana — he cautioned he might be mispronouncing her surname — who assisted firefighters responding to a dog-bite call across from the firehouse, drawing on her own experience with the same dog breed. Parrot said the department has discussed reviving a formal annual awards ceremony to recognize civilians like them going forward.

Social Media and Data. The department's new Instagram account is expanding its reach, with Firefighter Garrett attending town communications meetings and Firefighter Isaac building new monthly reports in the department's First Due software platform. Parrot said most of the operational data in his report now comes directly from First Due queries, crediting a colleague identified as Chris for the underlying reporting work.

Incidents and Response Metrics. The department logged 143 calls for service, including 8 fire calls, 32 medical calls, 19 hazard calls, zero rescues and 36 public-service calls. Notable incidents included the vehicle fire, brush fire and a dumpster fire against a house, plus a second-alarm fire in the Vista section where members located and knocked down extending fire, saving the structure; Kevin Vetty served as officer on the floor above during that response. Parrot praised the Stamford Fire Department's Rescue 1, Engine 5 and dive team for mutual aid assistance during the period. On response times, the department recorded eight responses this month exceeding its 10-minute benchmark, an average company response of about two minutes, and an average of 9.5 responding members per call. The department gave mutual aid three times and received it twice, logged five callback instances, and reported volunteer standby hours "way up" at 136.75 hours, which Parrot attributed to a group of newly active members.

Training. Training Officer Captain Rock is writing lesson plans and coordinating instruction, according to Parrot, who thanked him by his first name, Ron. This month's training covered conventional and forceful entry, SCBA operations, and introduced the department's incoming self-contained breathing apparatus units, which are expected to arrive in about four weeks under a capital purchase exceeding $425,000; the SCBA purchase specifically covers 33 packs at roughly $180,000. Parrot said the units, rated for 45 minutes at the "Scott 5.5" specification, will bring New Canaan in line with Norwalk, Wilton and Stamford for mutual-aid interoperability. Additional training included search and positive-pressure ventilation tactics, engine operations, driver training and forward-lay evolutions, plus ongoing hazardous-materials metering and monitoring development. Crews conducted pre-planning walkthroughs at a Grove Street address, St. Aloysius Parish and South School, with Lieutenant Jackson serving as the department's pre-plan and communications officer and coordinating with school resource officers. A $5,000 fire-prevention grant will fund a September pre-planning push, run by the fire marshal's office and Lieutenant Jackson, in which off-duty members will work four-hour blocks over three consecutive weeks studying multiple-dwelling, mixed-occupancy and complex commercial and assembly buildings.

Equipment. New EMS bags went into service under a lieutenant identified in the discussion as the department's EMS officer, and Lieutenant Sasser has been cultivating vendor relationships. New nozzles researched months earlier are arriving next week, along with two additional multi-gas meters after the department found itself short of meters amid multiple carbon monoxide readings over the Fourth of July. The department also placed into service a combustible-gas meter Parrot described as functioning "like a metal detector for gas," intended to speed leak investigations.

Fleet and Apparatus. This section occupied the largest share of the meeting. Kevin Vetty, working closely with the chief, presented the fleet status: Engine 4 remains out for a full overhaul; a new utility "TAC" tactical unit is in the pricing stage; and planning has begun for a new Engine 2 due this fall, funded through capital appropriations the department secured. An informal fleet evaluation with two outside mechanic friends who manage other departments' fleets found the tanker in worse condition than expected — rust, a deteriorating muffler and, more concerning, a leak the mechanics believe originates from above the tank rather than below — while praising the ladder truck's condition as a strong refurbishment candidate.

On the incoming new engine, due in December, Parrot raised concerns about its original specification, which carries a large water load on a single rear axle. He said the department is discussing with its manufacturer whether that engine could be modified to mirror the layout of the next engine the department orders — including matching bumper-line configurations so crews have consistent muscle memory regardless of which engine is on shift. The tradeoff would be reducing the booster tank from 1,200 to 750 gallons, which Parrot said would cut weight and could improve ride quality and serviceability. Stamford Fire Chief Rex Morris showed Parrot and Vetty a similarly configured engine from the same manufacturer that the department liked as a template; the manufacturer was scheduled to meet with Vetty and Parrot the Thursday after the meeting to discuss cost and engineering implications of ordering two matched engines.

On Engine 4, mechanics believe they can repair the pump wiring and pump shift for a little over $6,000, plus roughly $5,800 already spent on a fabricated replacement door, putting the rig's return to service near $22,000 before a Department of Transportation inspection is factored in. A pump test achieved 1,500 gallons per minute at 158 psi but at an RPM commissioner Ted said was roughly 1,725 — about 400 RPM above factory specification and above the National Fire Protection Association's 110 percent threshold — pointing to possibly leaky valves affecting the engine's ability to draft and prime. A mechanic identified alternately as Jeff and Jim in the discussion said replacing worn valves might not resolve the RPM issue but could still help the engine draft, and that the rig could likely be derated to roughly 1,000 gallons per minute if repaired. One commissioner argued that even a roughly $50,000 total investment to bring Engine 4 to DOT-certified status would be inexpensive for a few more years of service life, given the department expects to need the rig for three to four more years; Parrot noted Engine 4 offers a better turning radius and a 750-gallon tank compared with Engine 2's 500-gallon tank.

On Tanker 8, Vetty and Parrot recommended sending the vehicle to an outside dealer identified as Hudson Valley, described as the truck's original equipment dealer, for an independent evaluation given the suspected leak. One commissioner pressed for clarity on whether that assessment was firm. "My personal vote is if you think there are maintenance concerns with leakage that will jeopardize the longevity of the vehicle, then I'm absolutely in favor, regardless of whether it's in the budget or not. It's an unforeseen circumstance," the commissioner said. Parrot agreed, and the commission reached informal consensus to proceed, with the chief noting a "zero-based budgeting mindset" of independent assessments before setting equipment priorities.

On a separate engine's motor issue diagnosed by a mechanic identified as Gabriel, commissioners and the chief discussed seeking a second opinion given the potential cost of a rebuild, weighing that against simply installing a replacement motor. Parrot noted the department is separately pursuing more consistent oil analysis through its fleet-maintenance vendor, identified as GK, after batching delays meant results were not always timely; he cited an example in which a stuck pressure-relief valve had skewed earlier pump-test data on Engine 4 until GK's inspection caught it. Mechanics consulted by the department also flagged that the L9 engine model has a known head-gasket vulnerability tied to high compression, information Parrot said will inform the department's ongoing assessments.

Fleet Status Roundup. Parrot ran through remaining apparatus: Engine 1 is out of service for repairs in Milford, expected back by early the following week; Entry (Engine) 2 and Slider 3 are in service, with Slider 3's rear air conditioning needing repair; Rescue 5 is back in service; a new generator with a six-year warranty was installed; Engine 7 is in service pending an air-conditioning leak repair, for which highway department mechanic Fred Tien twice recharged the system with coolant and dye to get the department through a heat wave; the tanker's open work orders have dropped to 13 from 17. Parrot credited John Strong and his crew from the department's apparatus service vendor, identified in the discussion as Northeastern, with clearing a backlog of smaller repairs by coming to the firehouse directly rather than requiring trucks to be driven to the shop.

Parrot also described the department's budget-closeout process, working with Russ, Kevin Vetty and a budget staffer identified as Ryan to redirect unspent funds toward apparatus repairs as the fiscal year closed, at the expense of some training spending he called a necessary tradeoff. "The training is super important, everything's super important, but if we don't get there — so we dump a ton of money into it," Parrot said, adding the department still has more repair work ahead despite the progress.

Apparatus Committee Report

Parrot, presenting on behalf of the newly formed apparatus committee, recommended refurbishment as the department's preferred path for the ladder truck rather than replacement. He said the model is no longer manufactured, largely because it was built to fit older, shorter firehouse doors common in the Northeast, while newer emissions equipment has made replacement ladder trucks taller than many legacy firehouses can accommodate; New Canaan's own door height is about 105 inches against the current ladder's roughly 104-to-104.5-inch height. He described the truck as having low engine hours, a clean frame and a strong maintenance history, saying refurbishment could extend its service life by roughly another decade, buying time for the department's firehouse-planning discussions to mature. Parrot reiterated that any building-related planning remains an early-stage, low-level exploratory effort, noting he had already flagged the town's multiple stakeholders and town-center aesthetic considerations to the first selectman.

DROP Application, Old Business and Adjournment

The chief reported the commission's drop-retirement-program applicant did not submit required paperwork in time, so no vote occurred; Parrot said the item will likely return in September. No old business was raised. Commissioners noted the previously announced cancellation of the August meeting due to travel schedules, setting the next regular meeting for September 14 at 5 p.m. at New Canaan Town Hall. A motion to adjourn passed unanimously by voice vote.

Kevin Vetty — led the pledge of allegiance and, in a role described interchangeably as commissioner and lieutenant, presented fleet and apparatus updates throughout the meeting; his exact title should be confirmed. An unnamed presiding chair — ran the meeting, called votes and recognized speakers; not identified by name in the transcript. A commission member identified only as Ted — commented on Engine 4's pump-test RPM figures. A commission member who raised concerns about Tanker 8's leak and budget flexibility — not identified by name in the transcript. Bill Parrot — fire chief, confirmed full-time effective September 1; delivered the chief's report. Fire Marshal Paul (referenced elsewhere as Paul Tiger) — delivered the fire marshal's report. Donna — assisted the fire marshal with inspection tracking and attended finance training; role and surname not given. Lieutenant Jackson — the department's pre-plan and communications officer. Lieutenant Sasser — worked on the FEMA micro-grant application and vendor relationships. A lieutenant described as the department's EMS officer — placed new EMS bags into service; name unclear in the transcript. Bill Ostraman — accompanied the chief and fire marshal on a firehouse building status review; role not specified. Greg Riley — town staff member who assisted with the FEMA micro-grant application. Brian Stacy — finance department staff member providing budget training to the chief and command staff. Captain Rock (also referred to by his first name, Ron) — training officer. Captains identified as Dome and Trump — cited in connection with SCBA implementation and training-plan setup, respectively; surnames uncertain. Russ (and a person identified as Russ K) — involved in deputy emergency manager planning and the Waveny Care Center meeting. A budget staffer identified as Ryan — assisted with year-end capital transfers. James Bow — New Canaan High School graduate and University of Denver student who interned with the department. Firefighters Mike, Stewart, Garrett, Isaac and a person identified as Chris — mentioned for firehouse hospitality, social media outreach and data reporting; surnames not given. A firefighter referred to as Ducky — mentioned in connection with SCBA implementation work. Lucia Pal — civilian recognized for assisting at a motor vehicle accident. A woman identified as Tatiana — civilian recognized for assisting at a dog-bite call; the chief himself flagged uncertainty about her surname's pronunciation. Stamford Fire Chief Rex Morris — outside official who showed the department a comparable engine. John Strong — apparatus service technician, identified with vendor Northeastern, who helped clear the tanker's work-order backlog. Fred Tien — New Canaan highway department mechanic who serviced Engine 7's air conditioning. A mechanic identified alternately as Jeff and Jim — discussed Engine 4's pump repair options. A mechanic identified as Gabriel — diagnosed a motor issue on another apparatus.

FEMA — federal agency whose "micro grant" category, capped under $75,000, the department is pursuing for multiple-dwelling fire hose equipment; decision expected in September. Board of Selectmen — approved blanket purchase orders submitted June 26. Waveny Care Center — senior care facility where the department has been consulting on a safety plan during ongoing construction. St. Aloysius School and St. Aloysius Parish — sites of completed emergency-system inspections and department pre-planning walkthroughs. New Canaan Alternative High School — relocating to 212 Elm Street after passing inspection and receiving a certificate of occupancy. South School and Saxe School — sites of department pre-planning walkthroughs, cited in the fire marshal's and chief's reports. GK — the department's fleet-maintenance vendor, cited in discussion of oil analysis timing and a pressure-relief-valve issue found during Engine 4 servicing. Hudson Valley — apparatus dealer the department plans to use for an independent assessment of Tanker 8. Northeastern (also heard as Nor Eastern) — apparatus repair vendor whose technician, John Strong, helped clear a backlog of work orders. Stamford, Norwalk and Wilton fire departments — cited as the mutual-aid partners the department's incoming SCBA units are meant to interoperate with; Stamford also supplied mutual aid at a Vista-area fire and a comparable engine for the department to evaluate. First Due — software platform the department uses to generate monthly operational reports cited throughout the chief's report.