Mass. fire department to hire 20 new members

City Manager Michael V. O’Brien said the class is needed to get the Fire Department’s uniform officer complement back up to 406

October 04, 2011 06:42 AM

By Nick Kotsopoulos
The Telegram & Gazette

WORCESTER, Mass. — City Manager Michael V. O’Brien has authorized the hiring of a new firefighter recruit class consisting of up to 20 members.

Mr. O’Brien said the class is needed to get the Fire Department’s uniform officer complement back up to 406.

He said that personnel benchmark is important so department operations can run efficiently and optimally to meet fire safety needs.

Fire Chief Gerard A. Dio said the manpower level in the Fire Department has dropped to 394 uniformed personnel.

He said that figure is projected to drop to as low as 386 by spring because of upcoming retirements. The chief added that another wave of retirements is expected in August.

The fire recruit class was planned for in this fiscal year’s municipal budget. A federal SAFER grant will fund 17 recruit positions. Chief Dio said the grant is effective until December 2012.

Mr. O’Brien said his administration’s projected fiscal 2013 budget anticipates the expiration of the SAFER grant.

The manager added that he and Chief Dio are confident they will be able to retain the new firefighters through expected retirements next fiscal year, even if revenue or other budget assumptions were to change because of worsening economic conditions.

“I am hopeful for better days ahead but I am concurrently planning for what could be future fiscal challenges as a result of this continuing recession,” Mr. O’Brien wrote in a report to the City Council, notifying it of his plans to go ahead with the recruit class.

Four years ago, the council adopted a redeployment plan for the Fire Department that reduced its rank-and-file by dozens of uniformed positions. The authorized complement for the Fire Department was once as high as 479 uniformed personnel.