Saturday, February 10, 2007
By Jennifer Connic
Westport Fire Department officials hope to add 16 new firefighters to its staff of 54 over the course of the next two years, including eight during the 2007-08 fiscal year.
Fire officials met with the Board of Finance today during a special budget session at fire headquarters.
Fire officials gave a presentation on how they need to increase their manpower from two firefighters per engine to three in order to increase productivity and efficiency while keeping firefighters and residents safe.
At present, two firefighters ride each piece of apparatus except the engine at fire headquarters, which has three firefighters. In the 2000-01 budget, town officials added four firefighters to the department so there could be three firefighters on that engine.
One firefighter would be added to the crews that work in Coleytown, Green’s Farms and Saugatuck during each of the four shifts. Additionally, one firefighter would be added per shift on the crew that works between the rescue and ladder trucks at fire headquarters.
The plan would cost $341,800 in the 2007-08 budget, $1 million in 2008-09 and $1.4 million in 2009-10.
In addition to the 16 new firefighters over the two year period, 16 current firefighters would be promoted to lieutenants.
Fire Chief Christopher Ackley the change could lower the fire insurance ratings throughout town, including a 10-20 percent reduction in rates for those who live in areas without fire hydrants.
Additionally, a federal program could help defray the cost of the additional firefighters in the first four years, he said, and $1.6 million in costs would qualify.
Ackley said the Westport department is the only one in Fairfield County that still has two firefighters on each piece of equipment.
Since the 9/11 attacks, he said, a lot of federal and state money has been spent on training and equipment, but none has been spent on training.
“We have the tools, but not the people,” he said. “We no longer can do more with less. We have thought outside of the box. We have done it so often the box is empty.”
When the two firefighters arrive at a fire, Ackley said, one is supposed to man the pumper and the other is supposed to start any potential search and rescue efforts.
But firefighters are not supposed to be inside a burning structure alone, he said, and the pumper is not supposed to be left alone.
“It’s not uncommon where (the shift commander) will arrive and see a hose running into the building with no one around,” he said. “It’s a nerve-racking sight.”
Also, many times two engines will have to go to an incident where only one is needed, including car accidents, because there are not enough people on one engine to work through the incident.
The new Westport with large houses is also a challenge for firefighters, Ackley said.
Two firefighters responded to an automatic alarm that turned out to be false at a new home that was not occupied, he said, and the two were separated and got lost inside the house.
“Imagine if it’s at night with a fire and there’s furniture, smoke and it’s dark,” he said.
Board of Finance members asked about the potential for charging insurance companies for some calls, including car accidents, and Ackley said he is “philosophically opposed” to the idea.
The Fairfield department is doing it, he said, and he doesn’t think it generates a lot of money.
Additionally, he said, if every department started doing it, it would raise insurance rates for everyone.
Board members also asked the department’s priorities would lie for additional firefighters if they were not granted all 16.
Ackley said he does not have a specific plan, but he would compile one.
He does see a need in Saugatuck, he said, as there are massive changes happening in that area.
“It’s a vital station for us,” he said. “It covers from Saugatuck Shores to the northwest corner of town.”
Additionally, he said, he would want to add a firefighter to the crew that works on the rescue and ladder trucks at headquarters.
He also outlined plans to add a communications specialist--with savings in current radio maintenance budgets--and to upgrade a part-time dispatcher to full-time.
Posted 02/10 at 02:15 PM