Fire Service Staffing
The Aurora Volunteer Fire Department partnered with Wells College to develop a student program providing a quarter of the department’s personnel
With fewer recruits and rising retirements, departments like East Hartford are turning to costly overtime and mutual aid to cover growing staffing gaps
The Keene Fire Department will have more firefighters to staff ambulances in response to increasing EMS calls
Spokane’s fire union cites staffing shortages from retirements and departures, plus an uptick in sick leave from COVID-19 cases
In a near equal split, 52% of respondents say their department does not have residency restrictions, while 48% say their department does
The numbers underscore the toll the coronavirus is taking on staffing amid a battle over the city mandate that employees receive vaccinations
DFR is hoping to cut down on burnout, response times and overtime with single-role paramedics
The decision by Anchorage Fire Chief Doug Schrage drew criticism from the local fire union leaders who raised concerns about public safety
In the past year, Polk County first responders have been asked to pick up 4,495 mandatory OT shifts, totaling 89,434 hours
Union and Toledo city officials have been in contract talks since May, as the department struggles to meet minimum staffing requirements
The Fairfield Fire Department is considering transitioning to more full-time staff due to high turnover and excessive overtime for part-time staff
Officials chose to alter staffing for an ambulance that runs within city limits, where it can get to the hospital quicker
Overtime was temporarily suspended to combat economic loss related to the pandemic
The city was previously ordered to pay more than $90,000 in backpay to 15 firefighters
New Haven fire officials said the COVID-19 pandemic is to blame for the excessive overtime costs
Members of IAFF Local 2041 filed a lawsuit against the City of Chickasha for allegedly failing to pay firefighters the lawful rate for overtime hours
The firefighters’ lawsuit stemmed from a 2016 ruling that overtime calculations should factor in health coverage and other benefits
Gary Fire Chief Sean O’Donnell accused firefighters of abusing sick time, leading to hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime to cover their missed shifts
An internal auditor found that overtime expenses doubled over the last five years and in some cases doubled employees’ salaries
The city received backlash after a fire engine was temporarily taken out of service and a 10% wage cut for all city employee was discussed
The EMT has been placed on restricted duty after allegations he padded his overtime sheets to earn pay for unworked hours
The order comes shortly after the department head announced the cancellation of firefighters’ vacations until further notice
Two lieutenants were charged with stealing thousands of dollars in overtime pay for hours they didn’t work
The superintendent said the cancellation was necessary to protect the city in the wake of a voluntary overtime boycott
Unprecedented wildfires have taxed California firefighters and the state’s budget as overtime increased by over half in the last decade
“We don’t have an option of operating below a certain level ... we must fill the seat. Our overtime has exploded,” Scott Campbell, director of public safety, said
LAFD spokesman Peter Sanders said the department relies on overtime as part of its “constant staffing” model
The bill mandates overtime pay for local firefighters after they work an “average” 42-hour week — which is already the case in most, but not all, Rhode Island communities
The disagreement centers over paying overtime for firefighters called back to duty from vacation, who the county wants to pay as straight time, not overtime
Overtime added 30 percent to the city’s tab for firefighting services in 2018, during a period of ramped up hiring
Since 2007, the R.I. State Association of Firefighters has logged more than $290,413 on political spending
Two bills would strike from R.I. state law an exemption that shields the cities and towns from having to pay firefighters overtime after 42 hours
The Baltimore City Fire Department is paying overtime to fill nearly a third of its firefighter and medic shifts every day
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