Legislation and Funding
As part of the FireRescue1 Legislation & Funding topic, we highlight articles that will affect the bottom line of fire department budgets and operations.
Racine voters approved a $1.5 million annual property tax increase to support the fire department, ensuring funding to preserve nine paramedic and EMT positions
The Keene Fire Department will have more firefighters to staff ambulances in response to increasing EMS calls
From a firefighter sponsorship program to themed dinners at the firehouse, check out these out-of-the-box strategies for raising your department’s profile in the community
A ladder truck, a fire engine, and a rescue ambulance has been taken out of service for the remainder of this month and for at least 160 days
Cash-strapped departments all over the state had faced possible shut down due to hikes in Workers’ Compensation coverage
The shift change would allow firefighters to work two days on, and four days off
Funding and staffing have not matched the increase in call volume, according to officials
A new process awards funding based on need, rather than a simple flat rate for all departments
The Pottsville Fire Department grant is part of a $1.2 million grant package
Employers and insurers would have the burden to prove cancer is unrelated to the profession
The loss of six positions won’t mean layoffs but rather cuts in overtime pay
Voters approved a $412 million bond measure to shore up and expand the city’s emergency water supply system, upgrade fire stations and construct a public safety building
Response times already slowed by an average of 32 seconds per call after closing one fire station and having 15 fewer firefighters
The next closest station is almost a mile away from the neighborhood, through several busy intersections
Adopt-a-Hydrant program saves money by avoiding professional painting costing $50 to $75 for each hydrant
North Las Vegas agrees not to lay off any union firefighters during the fiscal year and will increase annual leave by 2.9 hours each pay period
LODD health and death benefits will now be extended to families who lose a firefighter in a training accident
Distributors and retailers of home oxygen systems would be required to inform local fire departments of addresses
The contract would give firefighters a raise of 16.5 percent over four years back to 2006, including a 2.5 percent hike for drug testing
Union leaders will have a chance to save some of their members’ jobs by giving back money in salary and benefits
Without funding, minimum staffing would be reduced from 19 firefighters to 18
Proposed funding includes $104 million earmarked to retrofit the aging system
The new city budget eliminates four firefighters, but maintains services with overtime
Now houses fire fighters, paramedics
The plan would expand current city 9/11 health programs to cover an additional 25,000 responders and 25,000 survivors
The Fullerton Firefighters Association said they were being treated unfairly compared with other city bargaining units
If approved, the deal is expected to cost the city $74 million
A SAFER grant of $1.7 million would pay for the salary and benefits of the Alameda firefighters
The donor is requiring that the money be spent on equipment purchases that were cut back due to budget shortfalls
The Boston Finance Commission report targeted a special payment for drug and alcohol testing pushing a four-year pay hike to as much as $74 million
St. Petersburg is strongly considering creating a fire district to close a $10.5 million deficit in the city’s public safety budget
Fire commissioners agreed to exhaust a ‘rainy day’ fund before the city closes the joint department in 2011
Fire Chief Robert Leary expects staffing to drop from 93 to 89