The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About1984-01-24; City Council; 7623; Fire Department Reorganizationa u.l 6 er:. 0.. 11. ,c:( z 0 § ~ .., c3 z :::, " CJ 51 en OF CARLSBAD -AGEND~ BILL AB# 7&:z 3 IlI.L.I;; FIRE DEPARTMENT REORGANIZATION MTG. 1/24/84 DEPT.,_f ..... I...,R __ I DEPT. HD. :;;I§" CITY ATTY ~.B Cl'lY MGR.~__; RECOMMENDED ACTION: Authorize the reorganization of the fire department. Authorize the fire chief to institute the concept of constant manning. Authorize the transfer of three person~el from the 56 hour shift schedule to 40 hours per week. Two personnel to be firefighter/specialists {ir.spectors}, and the third to fill the position of battalion chief in charge of services • . Authorize the designation of sQeciill.ll, for firefighters and fire captains who are assigned to work a 40 hour week. The designation of specialist to pay ten percent above the range for their classification. Authorize the reduction of total personnel by three through attrition. That the reallocation of personnel and the concept of constant manning be incor- porated into the 1984-85 budget and become effective July 1, 1984. ITEM EXPLANATION: The fire department has not add~d any staff positions since September, 1977 when we added the paramedic coordinator position. The city has grown considerably since this time and we are hard pressed to keep up with inspections, weed abatement, complaints, public education and information, and still pro vi de a hi'gh level of emergency service. The fire department does not have a training officer. Because of this, wear~ not able to keep abreast of new techniques and assure that our personnel are inan,g'h state of readiness. Recent tests given indicated we are weak in personnel develop- ment. Our personnel have indicated we need to institute programs geared toward preparing per~onnel for advancement. This is a plan to reallocate existing personnel to positions of greater need. The line of fire combat forces are not able, because of their shift schedule, to perform many of the support functions that are required in the organization. We are not diminishing the combat forces below the current minimum level. We will maintain the minimum level by rehiring o'ff duty firefighters. FISCAL IMPACT: Depends on rate of attrition. Saving of $38,500 annually after attrition. Cost avoidance of an addition~, $90,882. EXHIBIT: 1. Organizational Charts; proposed and present. 2. Staff report on reorganization. I PROPOSED REORGANIZATION OF FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL WHAT IS THE PROPOSAL? 1. To reorganize the fire department so that existing personnel can be used where they are most needed 2. To have the reorganization pay for itself. WHAT IS THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION? 1. To create three 40-hour per week staff positions: one Battalion Chief and two Firefighter/Specialists. 2. 3. To move three positions from the fire suppression division to fill these 40 hour per week staff positions. To classify the two Captains on staff as Captain/ Specialists and to reallocate their duties to those of Training Officer and Fire Marshal. 4. Tc further reduce the fire suppression personnel by three positions through attrition. 5. To maintain the desired service level in fire suppression by going to the concept of "constant manning." WHY IS THIS REORGANIZATION NECESSARY? 1 • 2. The new position of Battalion Chief would head the setv'Ices division and share in providing top level supervision in both emergency and day-to-day operations. This would give daily coverage for the three shifts as a battalion chief would be on duty seven days a week. ihe two new positions of Firefighter/Specialist would handle tneweed abatement progra~, complaints, building inspections and public education~ These areas are currently covered by firefighters on a shift basis. The job is being done, but not as efficiently as it could be. (The above positions have been requested in previous budgets. They were denied beca~se of the "no new positions" policy of the p~st several years.) more •••• I '. i r 2. 3. The reallocated position of a full time Training Officer is needed to keep our personnel in a high state of readiness and to keep current on the latest firefighting methods and techniques. 4. The reallo·cated position of Fire Marshal would releive the current battalion chief of certain pre~ention duties to enable him to take on more administrative duties and to supervise one of the three shifts. 5. Salaries saved by the reduction of fire suppression personnel will covor the costs incurred by this reorganization. HOW CAN THIS WORK? HOW CAN WE ELIMINATE 6 FIRE SUPPRESSION POSITIONS AND MAINTAIN MINIMUM SERVICE LEVBLS? Currently, we operate with variable shift staffing. The department schedules 15 firefighters to work each shift to meet minimum staffing requirements of 13 plus additional personnel to cover vacations ana sick l~ave. If sick leave exceeds normal, we rehire off-duty personnel to maintain the minimum level. If no one is on leave, we are above our minimum standard. When we operate above minimum levels we can assign personnel to weed abatement, complaints and public education. Using the "constant manning" concept, the department would budget for a constant level of 13 firefighters per shift. Whenever anyone was on leave, off-duty firefighters would be hired back to maintain the minimum level. The duties done previously by the "extra" personnel could now be scheduled for and carried out by the Firefighter/ Specialists on staff. WHAT IS THE COST OF THIS PROPOSAL? WHAT ARE THE SAVINGS? o The cost of moving three existing personnel into the three new staff positions is $10,068. This amount represents an incentive salary differential of 10% for the Firefighter/Specialists and Captain/Specialists. o If we were to hire for the three new staff positions, the cost would be approximately $100,950. o This is a cost avoidance*of $90,882 over hiring new personnel. NOTE: A COST AVOIDANCE is money not currently being spent which may or may not be spent in the future. o To maint,:dn "constant manning'', basea on annual accrua·1 rates for vacation aand sick leave, we could expect to rehire 546 times during the year. This would cost, in excess of what is currently budgeted, approximately $62,400. 3. o The reduction of staffing by three would reduce fire suppression personnel costs by $100,950. The reduction would be through attrition and the savTngs would occur at that time. It is estimated that the attrition would occur over the next 24 months. o A savings of $100,950 less a cost of $62,400 would create an annual savings of $38,55~. o This savings of 38,550 added to the cost avoidance of $90,882 gives us an increa$ed level of Fire Department services for a total annual savings of $129,432. I would like tv further suggest that this savings could be used by the department to maintain and improve our firefighting and paramedic equipment. A look into the future shows us that when we open a new fire station, using the constant manning concept would provide substanti~l savings. attachment --------------·-.?'"'--------------- CAPTAIN SPECIALIST Training Certification Testing Records SERVICES BA TI' APQN'CHIEF ' Equipment Fac:l.lH:les. ,Coiflmurih:.ttl ons "i>'urc:haslng ',ltecor~s, PLATOON PROPOSED FIRE CH!EF Administration Direction-Control Pol icy Finance Planning· OPERATIONS BA TT ALION CHIEF Fi re and Rescue Paramedics 0 I sas ter Prep. Tactical Plans Mutual Aid •13• PLATOON PLANNING BATTALION CHIEF Prevention Haster Planning Engineering Investigations Fl re Harsha I Inspections Plan Checks I