Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 10.0
Situational Awareness; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Other / Unknown; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Human Factors; Company Policy; Airspace Structure; Weather
This session started with light to moderate chop at most altitudes. The frequency was busy due to answering questions about the rides. Both my sector and the high altitude sector saw on the TSD (Traffic Situational Display) that both of our sectors were about to get very busy. As the volume of traffic increased on both of us I asked our Supervisor for an assist position. His response was that 'there is no one else in the building available.' We did not have enough people staffed to deal with a holiday weekend during our busiest time of year. I then told the Supervisor that the Traffic Management Unit needs to find a way to slow down the volume of traffic. The amount of aircraft that followed was at a dangerous level for 1 person to be working. The sector next to me was just as busy and could not help. As a result I had to stop accepting aircraft from other sectors. I was so busy I had become 'reactive and short' with pilots in order to keep them safe. I did not have enough tools or support to ensure separation of aircraft in my airspace.We must staff to appropriate levels in order to let controllers keep aircraft safe throughout their airspace. We need to have more than just the minimum number of people staffed for busy and holiday times. If not able then TMIs (Traffic Management Initiatives) need to be put in place to protect the controllers and planes. I don't even have enough time to complete this report because we do not have enough staffing and I need to report back to work.
ZBW Center Controller reported not having enough controllers on duty to open all the sectors and their workload reached unwanted levels.