34 South Main St., Attleboro, MA - (508) 222-7000
News
NA firefighters OT slashed
Top Headlines Although the fire department originally requested $118,000 to boost its depleted overtime account, Representative Town Meeting members went along with the finance committee's recommendation that $50,000 be approved. "How come nobody knew about this?" asked RTM member Stephen Chapdelaine of Precinct 2. "Why wasn't there a tracking system on a month to month basis? I'm not in favor of approving a $50,000 Band-Aid when we haven't gotten to the root cause." Fire Chief Peter Lamb said he made it clear in April 2006 that the $265,000 budgeted for overtime would not be enough. In fact, overtime costs since 2001 have ranged from a high of $416,600 in 2001 to a low of $329,000 in 2005. "I understand the fire department has a shortfall. It just seems there was a disconnect with the fire department budget and whomever does the number crunching," said RTM member John Donohue of Precinct 7. "In the future, the numbers should be solid between the town side and the fire chief side." Lamb said the situation would have been impossible to predict. A combination of circumstances including two firefighters on medical leave, two firefighters leaving for Plainville and three others out for line-of-duty injuries helped to increase overtime costs. He stopped running the town's second ambulance four months into the fiscal year to save on overtime costs - the ambulance is only staffed if overtime is not needed to do so. "In my career as fire chief I've never seen anything like this," Lamb said. Lamb did not ask the RTM to consider overturning the finance committee's recommendation, saying he looked at the town budget and saw that the town budget is tight. He estimated that the $50,000 would provide for 10 to 12 weeks of overtime. The $50,000 appropriated to the department came from the town's $1.3 million in free cash - which was certified by the state Department of Revenue on Monday just prior to the town meeting.
Post Your Comments R.B. wrote on Jan 30, 2007 10:25 PM: " Let's say you hire 4 more firefighters and give them $40,000/year. Then add benefits to them. That is $160,000 dollars plus whatever the benefits would be. If the chief needs $100,000 more in his overtime budget to make it work, what makes more sense? " B.C. wrote on Jan 30, 2007 6:41 PM: " Volunteer FF's are a dieing breed. They need the same training as full time FF's and when they work a regular job when and where will they get the State approve training. The answer is to hire more FF's. And why did you loses FF's to Plainville was it because the pay was better up on 1A. " MM wrote on Jan 30, 2007 4:15 PM: " There is quite a difference between an EMT and a paramedic. An EMT can give you a ride to the hospital and put some oxygen in your nose. A paramedic can administer medications that could save your life on the way to the hospital. It is considered substandard to have EMT's as responding ambulance personnel. You'd be glad you paid for a paramedic if you had ANY medical emergency! " How about this wrote on Jan 30, 2007 12:57 PM: " Has anyone considered adding auxiliary firemen and EMTs. Volunteer firefighters are used throughout the world. Also the police department has been doing this for years.
" wondering wrote on Jan 30, 2007 12:51 PM: " Wouldn't it be cheaper to hire enough firefighters? " LB wrote on Jan 30, 2007 12:28 PM: " Same story, every town. Until the town hall burns down or a town administrator or his/her family needs the ambulance or a fire truck the fire department will always be shafted on town funds. " or
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