Agenda 12/21/2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Reduction in Force Options Part 1: Elimination of the Part-time Firefighter Program and Hydrant Maintenance Specialist Position When Firefighters assigned to the Operations Division are off on vacation, holiday leave, or sick leave, one part-time Firefighter is called in to fill this vacancy. This allows a seven-person minimum staffing level, which is still well below any career fire and EMS department. The total cost of the program including wages and other related expenses is approximately $54,000. Fire hydrant maintenance is conducted by the Hydrant Maintenance Specialist, a part-time employee. This position was added 212 years ago, after experiencing major failures of City fire hydrants. This program has been highly beneficial as City fire hydrants are in the best condition they have been in since I have been employed by the City. Continuation of hydrant maintenance is vital if the City wishes to continue providing reliable fire protection. The total cost of this program is $18,800. An option is to eliminate all part-time personnel to include the Hydrant Maintenance Specialist and replace with a full-time Firefighter (rover). After paying salary and benefits, the full-time position will cost between $47,000 - $64,000 depending on the qualifications of the employee. This saves approximately $8,570 and allows this flex-time employee to cover shifts when regularly assigned Firefighters are out on vacation, etc. Let me emphasize that a total elimination of the part-time program and not replacing it with this recommendation will adversely affect EMS revenue as the department will be so short of personnel that many EMS calls will be missed. The Hydrant Maintenance Position's duties would be assigned to the two Firefighters known as rovers. One rover would conduct hydrant maintenance in the spring, and the other rover would conduct hydrant maintenance in the fall. Both rovers would do this while on-duty as a Firefighter, thus avoiding duplication of personnel. Exercising this option alone without assigning these duties as outlined will result in deterioration of City fire hydrants to the point that fire protection will again be jeopardized. Part 2: Elimination of the Emergency Management Coordinator Position The Emergency Management Coordinator is responsible for emergency management and city- wide employee safety. This employee stays very busy and carries a lot of responsibility in two areas that are typically divided into two separate positions. Elimination of this position will result in these duties being assigned to other existing positions, as follows: 1. Employee Safety o No one employee would be responsible for implementing, monitoring, and enforcing safety in respective departments. o An employee or group of employees would be assigned the responsibility for investigating accidents. o A coordinator would have to be assigned to act as the chairman of a City-wide safety committee. 2 -_.~,.._._'~_.."-~---