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Home My WebLink AboutFD-29-87 T TOWN OF NEWCASTLE CONFIDENTIAL REPORT File # Res. == ^F By-Law # MEETING: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE DATE: DECEMBER 21, 1987. REPORT #: FD 29-87 FILE #: 10.12.6 SURJE_LT: G.P.A. RESOLUTION 220-87 - ESTABLISHING A WEEKEND ROSTER IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. RECOMMENDATIONS: It is respectfully recommended, 1.) THAT FD 29-87 be received "in camera"; 2.) THAT the Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief arrange a schedule to establish an on call system for nights, holidays and weekends to permit one of them, or their designate, to be available and on call for emergency responses; 3.) THAT the staff subject to recommendation #2 be compensated, in ac- cordance with the Point System Plan attached as Schedule "A" to Report FD29-87, when on call or responding to after hour emergen- cies, effective January 1, 1988; 4.) THAT additional funds in the amount of $12,000 be included in the Fire Department Account 7102-00001-0001 Salaries, Permanent Full Time for 1988 to cover the associated anticipated costs; and l 5.) THAT the weekend standby schedule become effective January 1, 1988. BACKGROUND AND COMMENT I Further to the Resolution from Committee requesting that an on call schedule be established for the Fire Chief and Deputy Chief, to permit Fire Department management to be available on an on call basis, nights, weekends and holidays, Staff would propose the following. Continued. . . . FD29-87 - 2 - CONFIDENTIAL The Town of Newcastle operates a composite Fire Department with only two full time management positions, i.e. the Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief. Both of these positions are by-law appointments and are established at a 35 hour work week with no provision or funds budgeted for any additional after hours work such as being available on weekends, nights and holidays and responding to emergencies, when requested. These two positions are primarily management oriented, dealing with the day-to--day operations of the Fire Department. After normal working hours (35 hour week) , the Fire Chief and Deputy Chief are required to be available on a 24 hour basis, nights, weekends and holidays to respond to emergencies, when required and no monetary compensation is received for their extra time worked. Fire emergencies in Newcastle have increased by an overall average of 23% this past year, placing an even greater burden on the Chief and Deputy Chief. In the past five week period alone, the Chief and/or Deputy have been called upon numerous times to investigate fires and determine causes. In three cases, the fires were considered of suspicious nature and an Office of the Fire Marshal investigator and police were called in. In cases of this type, usually a mini- mum of a day, possibly two or three days, are tied up with the fire scene in- vestigation and it is usually not during regular working hours. With a Fire Department such as this, which relies heavily on part-time person- nel, who are untrained in fire crime detection, the responsibility, workload and time spent after the normal working day of the Fire Chief and Deputy is in- creased. Staff would recommend that an established format of cor%tensation, similar to that presently used for the part-time firefighters (Schedule "C" attached) for after hour calls, also be provided to the Chief and Deputy Chief, according to the attached Schedule "A"r and that $12,000 be included in Fire Department Account 7102-00001-0001 in the 1988 budget to cover costs for the Fire Chief and Deputy Chief to be on call after hours. Staff has included, for your information, Schedule "B" being a brief account of extra hours accumulated by the Chief and Deputy Chief in 1987. I Respectfully submitted, Recommended for presentation to the Committee, I A. Aldridg ---- Lawrence- ---------------- Fire Chief. E. Kotseff, Chief Administrative Officer. JA/sr Encls. (2) November 27, 1987. i • C SCHEDULE "A" CONFIDENTIAL REMUNERATION FOR FIRE CHIEF AND DEPUTY CHIEF WEEKENDS, NIGHTS, HOLIDAYS AFTER HOURS TRAINING AND EMERGENCY RESPONSES POINT VALUE $6.31 PER POINT ($37.86) 6 points per call of 2 hours or portion thereof. ($18.93) 3 points per hour Of service, which is over 2 hours or portion thereof. ($18.93) 3 points per hour of service for after hours training. ($50.48) 8 points per day for on call weekend and holiday standby throughout the year. i I I i I I i l i i i I i SCHEDULE "B" CONFIDENTIAL Hrs. Spent Activity Annually Monthly training of part-time firefighters, after hours at each station. Average session is 2 1/2 to 3 hrs. ea. Usually the Chief and Deputy attend and conduct training. This averages 10 hours per month each. 120 hrs. New recruit training is held over an eight week period, once or twice per year, with a minimum per course of 30 hours each. 30 hrs. Durham Region Fire Chiefs quarterly meetings. 15 hrs. Night and weekend tours of local business and industries. 20 hrs. Hosting Regional Mutual Aid Fire Meeting. 5 hrs. Occupational Health & Safety Committee quarterly meetings. 8 hrs. District Chief quarterly meetings. 8 hrs. Special training for District Chiefs and Captains. 6 hrs. Besides the above extra hours worked, there are emergency calls, nights, weekends and holidays, to respond to and also fire investigations. 100 hrs. TOTAL HOURS 312 hrs. 312 hours x $18.93 (3 points per hr.) = $5,906.16 annually for Fire Chief and Deputy totals $11,812.32 For information purposes, the Deputy Chief has accumu- lated 156 extra hours worked in the six months he has been with the Department. I i i SCHEDULE "C" TOWN OF NEWCASTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT POINT SYSTEM PLAN Effective June.22, 1987. Remuneration - Part-time Firefighters. Using the Point System Plan - Value $6.31 per point ($25.24) 4 points per call of 2 hours or portion thereof. ($t2.62) 2 points per hour of service which is over 2 hours or portion thereof. ( $6.31 ) 1 point for false alarm (vehicles do not leave the station). ($12.62) 2 points per hour for a service call or standby at another station. ($12.62) 2 points per 2 hours of training (monthly). ( $9.47) 1'h points for inspections, conduct or assist with familiarization courses. ;( $6.31 ) 1 point for Mutual Aid or Fire Department meetings. ($37.86) 6 points per day, weekend standby for 4 members. (End of May until Thanksgiving weekend). District Fire Chief - extra remuneration $551 .25 per annum. District Deputy Chief - extra remuneration $385.88 per annum. District Captain extra remuneration $275.62 per annum. Workers Compensation coverage $33,600 which in most cases would give the same coverage as regular place of employment. i Existing Life and Dismemberment Policy - $50,000. Vacation pay at the rate of 4% annually A part-time Firefighter is expected to attend one training session (minimum) monthly to continue as a member of the Department. (Working at regular place of employment exempt). No Firefighter who is off sick or on Workers' Compensation from his regular place of employment, or Fire Department Compensation, shall be allowed to answer an alarm. If another alarm is received before returning to the Fire Station, no additional remuneration would be paid to the Firefighters for the second call if within 2 hours. •' I June 23, 1987. I GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN REPORT FD29-87 available - When on call the respective individual's travel distance to be limited to areas that would permit direct radio contact with Fire Department control. Free or able to respond to emergencies. on call time - Nights - 1630 hrs. to 0830 hrs. (no compensation unless periods called out) . Weekends - 64 hours - standby rate (8 points per day) . Holidays - 24 hours - standby rate (8 points per day) . designate - Due to vacations, sickness & unknown circumstances, the Fire Chief or Deputy have the option of assigning their respective on call duty to the full time Captain. i i I i I I i I i