In an effort to provide insight into what's happening at our Fire Department, the Friends of Sandisfield Fire Department (FSFD) will periodically publish interviews with members of our fire department.

The first interview is with Fire Chief Mike Grillo.

What is the best way for people to reach you if they have questions or concerns regarding what's happening with our Fire Department?

Call or text me at 413-717-8393. My email is firechief@sandisfieldma.gov. I also encourage people to stop by the fire house, especially if they see the doors open and activity around outside - which especially with warmer weather will be quite often.

When residents drive by the firehouse, it often looks like there are quite a few people working. Are they all being paid?

No, all the people at the firehouse are not being paid. Per the November 2025 Special Town Meeting, the voters approved funding for 24-hour, 7-days-a-week coverage. This means that currently only myself and Public Safety Officer/licensed EMT Mary Bredenfoerder are on duty Monday thru Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. From 4 until midnight, there is one paid (per diem) staff member and one volunteer on duty. From midnight to 8, there is one paid staff member and one volunteer on duty. The coverage is the same Saturday and Sunday except Mary is not scheduled on the weekends. [Editor's note: That coverage is provided by other per diem and volunteer staff. Plus, Chief Grillo, while salaried, typically works more than his regularly scheduled hours.] This schedule needs to be flexible so that it can accommodate Mary's commitments to her law enforcement operations. All of the other personnel at the fire house outside of these regularly scheduled shifts are there strictly in a volunteer capacity.

If a resident feels they can't commit to being a firefighter or EMT, what other ways can they help the Fire Department?

The Fire Department always needs people willing to be First Responders which entails driving the emergency vehicles. And we always need people willing to help with administrative work. [Editor's note: Training to be a First Responder does not require near the number of hours required for Fire 1 or EMT training]

Individuals can also choose to support the new nonprofit, Friends of Sandisfield Fire Department, whose mission is to fill gaps that occur due to budget constraints. Individuals can volunteer at fund raising and recognition events (i.e., fire academy graduations), or engage in community outreach such as spreading the word to potential volunteers or sharing important facts about the Fire Department.

For more information regarding what your fire department is doing, go to the Town of Sandisfield Fire Department Facebook page, or the Fire Department website, sandisfieldma.gov/fire-department.