Jefferson City Fire Department looks to add two firefighters

Addition would bring department back to minimum staffing levels

The Jefferson City Fire Department is looking to add two entry-level firefighters, but the requested positions would really only bring the department to the bare minimum staffing levels.

At the Public Safety Committee meeting Thursday, committee members approved a recommendation to have the full City Council consider the addition of the two positions, though that discussion also will go through the Finance Committee.

Fire Chief Matt Schofield said these positions would bring the department back to 75 uniformed employees, the level it was at before a budget shortfall caused citywide cuts three years ago.

In 2013, the city discovered an unexpected budget shortfall of $1.68 million, which led to a near hiring freeze and programs aimed at urging eligible city employees to retire early. The early retirement program led to the loss of three positions in the Fire Department - one training officer and two firefighters, bringing the department down to 72 employees, the same number it had in 1990.

However, in 1990, the department responded to 716 calls, and in 2014, the department responded to more than 4,700 calls.

Last year, the council approved reinstating the fire training officer position but held off on the two entry-level positions as the department was applying for a grant to cover the costs of two firefighter positions. The SAFER grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency would have paid for two firefighter positions with no requirement of a future commitment from the city, but Schofield found out in November the department was not awarded the grant.

The department is again applying for the same grant this year, pending approval from the full council, and if it is awarded, it could be used to restore the two positions. But, the department is currently in a round of testing for new hires, with an agility test set for mid-March, and Schofield said it would be ideal to hire for the new positions out of the current pool of candidates.

Even if the department is unsuccessful again in seeking the grant funds, Schofield said he would urge the council to consider reinstating the two positions, especially considering the firefighters union contract.

Schofield said there is a clause in the contract about keeping the workforce at a certain level of personnel per shift. Back in 2013, when the department had 75 employees, Schofield said they would have, at full capacity, 23 on-shift personnel and an assistant chief on at all times, which is outlined in the contract.

Even with the loss of two employees, Schofield said the department has to keep a bare minimum of 19 on-shift personnel plus an assistant chief on at all times, even though the contract calls for 23 on-shift personnel plus the assistant chief.

When too many people are out sick, on leave or vacation (the department allows two people per day on vacation), the department has to call in other staff members to take over, which results in "constant manning" overtime costs.

Joe Alonzo, president of Jefferson City Firefighters Local 671, said though the union understands the city had budget constraints, the level of staffing has become a very serious safety issue that should not be further delayed.

"We're getting to the point where the can's getting kicked down the road so much, we don't even recognize the can anymore," Alonzo said.

In other business, the committee approved a recommendation to use funds from the sale of old Fire Station No. 3 on Industrial Drive for maintenance of existing fire stations. That recommendation will go to the Finance Committee and the full council.

Last year, the committee received packets on the conditions of the fire stations, which are aging and in need of repair. Though the city opened a brand new station in 2014 that replaced the 47-year-old station No. 3 on Industrial Drive, several other fire stations are nearing 50 years old and are showing signs of wear. At some point, the city likely will have to look at replacing more stations as repair costs pile up.

The old station sold for $169,000 to Jason Lale of Major Interiors, which was first reported in early January.