By John Doherty
The Post-Standard (Syracuse, New York)
OSWEGO, N.Y. — A month after Oswego received a 46-point report proposing improvements to the Oswego Fire Department, city officials are moving ahead with many of the recommendations.
“Some of the things I can handle administratively myself and others involve the councilors and the fire department,” said Mayor Randy Bateman.
The 86-page report calls for improving communications between City Hall and fire department officials, upgrading and monitoring of the city’s firefighting equipment and increasing firefighter training.
The department’s vehicle replacement committee met with the City Council last month. On Monday, councilors are expected to seek bids for a new platform truck, called for in the audit.
The vehicle, which could cost as much as $900,000, mostly will be paid for with a $726,750 federal grant the city received last week.
The report, prepared by MMA Consulting Group of Boston, also calls for more planning by fire department administrators.
“I’ve instructed the chief to work on that with his people, and we’ll be getting together soon,” Bateman said.
The study was called for in 2006 when city councilors questioned staffing levels and procedures in the 64-member fire department.
Councilors said overtime expenses were too high, and fire officials argued that cutting back overtime would endanger firefighter safety.
The report concluded that overtime was a big expense but was not out of line.
Some councilors questioned the value of the department’s ambulance service.
The report concluded that curtailing the service would not reduce the size of the department because many of those working on the ambulances are needed as firefighters.
The report suggests that all new firefighters also be certified paramedics. It also recommends that the city stop providing non-emergency medical transports when private ambulance service is available.
“We’re in talks with Oswego Hospital. We only want the city to be used when a private ambulance is not available,” Bateman said.
The auditors rejected as not viable a suggestion that the department be converted from a paid to a volunteer force.
The department should increase monitoring the condition of department vehicles and start a routine replacement program to cycle out older vehicles.
Other recommendations include:
- The city should have a base of 13 firefighters on duty daily, eight at the East Side station and five at the West Side station.
- The city’s West Side station, currently on West First Street, should be moved to a more central, West Side location.
- The number of department captains should be reduced, through attrition, from four to two. The number of lieutenants should be increased from four to six.
- Captains should serve as commanders of the department’s two fire stations.
- Mutual aid and other agreements for providing firefighting service and assistance outside the city should be in writing.
- Lower-ranking officers should be given command experience at emergency scenes.
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