A new assessment of the Canandaigua Fire Department is renewing debate over staffing levels, with city officials and firefighters offering differing perspectives on how quickly changes should happen.
The discussion follows original reporting by 13WHAM-TV on Monday about a study conducted by the Center for Public Safety Management. The report recommends increasing the number of on-duty firefighters to between seven and nine personnel across the city’s two stations. Currently, a minimum of five firefighters are on duty at any given time.
The staffing question has lingered since a fatal house fire in 2024 that claimed the life of a 98-year-old resident and prompted renewed calls for additional resources.
“Our daily staff numbers need to be increased,” Fire Chief Frank Magnera said during a recent meeting. “I see it day in and day out. Our firefighters are taxed and need some assistance.”
Beyond daily staffing levels, the assessment also recommends formalizing mutual aid agreements with neighboring departments. According to survey responses cited in the study, those working relationships have been strained for decades — an issue that could affect coordinated responses during larger emergencies.
While some have criticized the absence of new firefighter positions in the city’s adopted 2026 budget, City Councilor Michael Mills said the situation is more nuanced.
“Correct, there are currently no new firefighters funded in the 2026 budget. But let’s make sure we are painting a complete and accurate picture of what is actually happening,” Mills said in a statement. “The City of Canandaigua added two professional firefighters last year, which gets staffing to the short-term goal recommended in the recent study.”
Mills said the city also set aside funds in the 2026 budget to hire a grant writer to pursue federal funding that could support adding up to three additional firefighters this year.
“Canandaigua City Council funded a study and is actively working on a plan to fund growth in the department,” Mills said. “We look forward to the fire union collaborating on those plans.”
The issue now shifts to how — and when — the city might fund longer-term staffing increases. Any expansion would require ongoing commitments for salaries and benefits, likely shaping upcoming budget discussions as city leaders weigh public safety priorities against fiscal constraints.
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