By Nathan Duke
Staff Writer

This summer, the Auburn Fire Department will have full-time firefighters for the first time in its 70-year history.

The town's selectmen approved hiring firefighters Linda Wilking and Dennis Collins last month, said Fire Chief Bruce Phillips. The two new employees will begin working Monday through Friday at the station on July 11.

The Auburn Fire Department was formed in 1935 as a volunteer organization. For the past three years, the department has discussed hiring full-time employees, said Phillips.

The chief said the department makes more than 400 runs a year, based on calls to the station. Since the organization is a volunteer fire department, there has been difficulty in rounding up personnel to respond to calls because the firefighters work at other jobs during the day.

"In general, the town has grown rapidly," said Phillips. "There are not a lot of people to volunteer their time, so we have opted to put two people on during the day. We need to get the best coverage possible. We owe that much to the community."

Currently, the department has 44 volunteer firefighters. Wilking and Collins both have prior experience as emergency responders. Wilking, who lives in Belmont, is a staff instructor at the state fire academy and also served as a captain at the Tilton-Northfield Fire Department. Collins, who lives in Manchester, also works at the state fire academy as an equipment technician. Both have received the state's Level II firefighter certification and basic training as emergency medical technicians.

"I think both of them are very competent," said Phillips. "They worked together at the fire academy, so they already know each other. I'm pretty excited about them (working at the station)."

Phillips said he currently breaks up his time between working with the Manchester Fire Department and the Auburn Fire Department, which has cut back on the number of fire safety inspections on businesses in recent years.

"We are way behind on commercial and industrial inspections," he said. "(Auburn Building Inspector) Carrie Cote has been a godsend to us. She has picked up a lot of inspections that we have not been able to do."

However, Wilking will assume the role of the fire officer in charge of the department's fire prevention and inspection program in July. Phillips said her arrival will allow for businesses to be inspected much more quickly.

"(Wilking's presence) will make the process a lot smoother for businesses," he said. "Between different work schedules, sometimes inspections do not happen as quickly as people want them to. This will give us a chance to catch up and get everything back to where it belongs."

Phillips said the department has already received calls to set up future fire inspections.

Collins will be paid $35,880 yearly plus benefits, while Wilking will receive $38,480 per year plus benefits. Aside from firefighting duties and answering calls, the two new employees will also coordinate fire drills at Auburn Village School.