New Jersey Township Considers Rewards Program

[JM15 386]

Has anyone heard this or have any comments on this?

Morris Township, N.J.-- The township committee will consider a system that financially rewards volunteer firefighters for being more active in the fire department.

The proposed Volunteer Incentive Program, or VIP, would pay township volunteer firefighters $650 to $1,150 per year for answering fire calls, attending training courses and other events and attending meetings.

The goal is to retain firefighters with busy personal schedules in the fire department and to attract new volunteers, said fire Chief Craig Goss.

Of the 70 to 100 volunteers in the township fire department, Goss said, only 40 to 50 are considered active, meaning that they frequently respond to fire calls and attend meetings and events.

Time pressures

Response to calls has been decreasing over the years as firefighters, such as those with young families or who live and work away from the township, have to contend with increasingly busier schedules.

"We're just trying to get that little piece of time," Goss said.

Under the plan, firefighters would earn points based on how much they participate. For instance, if a firefighter responds to 10 to 20 percent of the department's incident calls, he or she would earn 15 points, whereas a firefighter who responds to 51 percent or more calls would earn 50 points.

The latter percentage would qualify that firefighter for the minimum payment of $650 at the end of the calendar year. A firefighter can earn a maximum of $1,150 for 91 or more points. The additional points can be accrued by attending meetings, drills and other events.

Goss said that the program could be useful in simply keeping firefighters certified. Some, he said, do not attend the six fire drills each year mandated by the state.

The VIP program would apply only to volunteers, not to the 22 paid township firefighters.

Retroactive plan

If approved on Oct. 18, the VIP program would be retroactive to Jan. 1 of this year. Records of each firefighter's participation have been kept since then.

The program resembles the state Length of Service Awards Program, which allows local fire departments to let members accrue money for the length of time they stay active members.

Morris Township officials and firefighters looked at LOSAP, but favored the participation-based program instead. Township administrator Fred Rossi said unlike LOSAP, the VIP program could be administered solely through the fire department's chiefs and captains. LOSAP also requires the funds be invested by a state-certified contractor.

Goss also said that firefighters would be receiving money at the end of each year, whereas under LOSAP, they would have to serve for five years before being able to withdraw any money they have accrued.

The creation of a LOSAP also involves a vote by the public, whereas the VIP requires only the vote of the township committee.

Republished with permission of the Daily Record

[res6cue 67]

Yeah I saw this article. Not surprisingly, I have mixed feelings about it.

Who is paying for this program? I know with LOSAP, the funds that are contributed to the program generally have many years to accrue interest, thereby offsetting a good portion of the cost of the program. With an immediate payout like this program has, the opportunity for interest to help out is practically nonexistent. Sounds like quite a difference in potential burden to the taxpayers.

On the plus side, I think a program like this that pays out annually has a more immediate impact on recruiting and retaining volunteers, as well as encouraging them to attend more incidents and training. Show up more, make more money at the end of the year. In my opinion, LOSAP isn't much of a draw to young people. To them, they see maybe getting a few bucks a year when they're in their 60s. How many 18 year old kids are genuinely concerned with 40+ years away? Not too many, in my estimation. So, while a LOSAP program may wind up paying out $9,600 a year at retirement age for 40 years of accrued service, which is clearly a lot more than this program would pay out annually, it just doesn't have the same luster to young people. If the max annual payout of this program doesn't ever increase. you could earn $46,000 over 40 years of service. Of course, your LOSAP max would pay that out in less than 5 years once you reach entitlement age, which isn't too shabby for those of us thinking that far ahead.

I realize all these volunteer incentives are a hot button issue and some will say we're not even "volunteers" anymore. I actually agree with that. My personal opinion was that my own dept stopped being 100% volunteer the day we adopted our LOSAP program, and has decreased for every incentive thereafter, including any tax breaks we get from local government. Mind you, I don't think that's a bad thing necessarily, it's just the reality. I still know that for many areas around here, a full time paid service would be cost prohibitive. It's still a hell of a lot cheaper to throw the vollies a few bones than it is to replace them with paid firefighters.

So, in the end, I'm all for things like LOSAP, stipends, tax breaks, reduced cost volunteer housing, etc. Within reason, that is. I feel very strongly that you must reward the taxpayers with outstanding service in return. You must be able to put properly manned rigs on the road within a reasonable amount of time. You must ensure your members are well trained and professional. If you want the public to reward you with these "goodies", you have got to earn them and constantly prove why it's worth their tax dollars to keep you around in lieu of going with a paid department. It's simply not acceptable to operate like decades past, a social club that occasionally has to respond to Mrs. Smith's burnt dinner or Farmer Jones' barn fire. Actually, come to think of it, we shouldn't still be operating like that anyway, incentives or not.

[helicopper 1,050]

Has anyone heard this or have any comments on this?

Morris Township, N.J.-- The township committee will consider a system that financially rewards volunteer firefighters for being more active in the fire department.

The VIP program would apply only to volunteers, not to the 22 paid township firefighters.

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Has the union representing the 22 paid firefighters weighed in about this yet?

[Guest]

…So then they wouldn’t by volunteer firefighters any more. No one should have to coerce an organization and its members to fulfill its public safety responsibilities. If the volunteers can’t meet the demand of the department and town they protect it’s time for the town board to bring in a few more career guys.

[firecapt32 282]

would the money they recieve be taxed---hmmm mabey that opens up another can of worms. Does the money that they are to recieve come from public monies?? ie donations to F.D. If so ia it legal to do that with public monies.

i am not totaly against the idea it sounds like it might be on the right track to retain personel.

[trauma74 111]

Back in March when I attended the EMS Expo is Balitmore, I went to a class given by a group of EMS/FD lawyers. The class was on the transition from a volunteer to a paid department. The topic of "paying" or providing incentives to volunteers was discussed. The lawyers have been in contact with the US Dept of Labor as well as many State Labor Departments. A ruling was made that you can "pay" or give a gift to someone who volunteers their time. They stated that as long as the "pay" would be well below the minimum wage amount, it would be legal. They also said that this "pay" would not be taxed.

I hope that this can clear up a few things

[JBE 328]

If it helps recruit/retain members without a department going fully paid and creaming the area taxes, and keeps a decent staffing for the rigs, can't be a bad thing.

[res6cue 67]

If it helps recruit/retain members without a department going fully paid and creaming the area taxes, and keeps a decent staffing for the rigs, can't be a bad thing.

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I wish more people had that outlook. Unfortunately, it seems many are very hardline either you have to be 100% pure volunteer, or you must go full out career (as 66Alpha1's post would suggest). It's usually not that simple or black and white. Like I said perviously, how many volunteer depts truly are 100% pure volunteer anymore? Probably not many if you take LOSAP into account. Or, what if your dept gives you free food after a run, aren't you technically accepting something for your service? It's a different world we live in today, a world where volunteers are fewer and the time they can give is less also. At the same time, taxes are already outrageously high around here, and to add yet one more bloated municipal service when it's not really needed would just kill some areas. I think programs like these can definitely help a dept with a moderate lack of volunteers issue keep from becoming a safety hazard for the community. Of course, I also believe there has to be a ceiling to it. You can't just keep increasing the perks until you get to a tipping point where it might just be more economical and effective going with a full time service. It would take quite a bit to get to that level in many communities, however, and I don't believe the amounts we're talking about here even comes close. Well, that's just my opinion anyway.

66Alpha1, I'm not sure what you mean by "coercion", but I think you're looking for a different word. Perhaps you meant "bribery"? Either way, I don't agree with your post at all for the above stated reasons.

Edited October 9, 2006 by res6cue

[spin_the_wheel 460]

…So then they wouldn’t by volunteer firefighters any more. No one should have to coerce an organization and its members to fulfill its public safety responsibilities. If the volunteers can’t meet the demand of the department and town they protect it’s time for the town board to bring in a few more career guys.

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I think thats what they are doing.......trying to solve the problem...and before hiring career guys see if they can attract or retain the volunteers with an incentive...if it does not work then by all means bring in the career guys as you say...one step at a time.

[JBE 328]

R-6, if the food comes out of the department budget, I don't necessarily think it's on the arm. Department dues pay for a percentage of it, albeit a small one.

L-47, therein lies the rub, you can't implement a gradual shift from vollie to paid without the community you serve getting hosed on taxes. Like R-6 said, there's only so much you can do to sweeten the pot before it gets spoiled.

[res6cue 67]

R-6, if the food comes out of the department budget, I don't necessarily think it's on the arm. Department dues pay for a percentage of it, albeit a small one.

Ah ok, I see your point. In our dept, food for monthly meetings and parades comes from the company coffers, which is not tax money. That money is dues, donations, fundraisers, etc. However, food after calls, drills and training DOES come from the district. That's why I used food after calls as an example. I don't ever really consider anything coming from the company as being "payment", as it's all private funds. Maybe I should've used a better example, like if the district were to buy us all jackets or hats which came from tax dollars. Our district doesn't do that, but I think if they did, that would be borderline.

L-47, therein lies the rub, you can't implement a gradual shift from vollie to paid without the community you serve getting hosed on taxes. Like R-6 said, there's only so much you can do to sweeten the pot before it gets spoiled.

I agree, but I do think it can be done in stages. If you were to start an incentive program like the one in NJ, but put a reasonable cap on it, that's a start. If you're still having issues with lack of manpower, you might have to look into a paid on call type of system. Then next step might be a combo dept (although in my personal opinion, those types of depts can be quite contentious and only lead to bitterness). The final step would be putting a full time career dept in place. So in a way it could be a gradual shift, but I don't think in the sense that you're going to directly convert your entire volunteer dept and all members to a full time paid dept.

Edited October 9, 2006 by res6cue

[JBE 328]

One thing I saw out in LA County was the CFF (Call Firefighter) program. It's a volunteer engine quartered with the paid guys, or it's a stand alone engine. If memory serves me right, they get paid per run. Most of them are in isolated and slow houses, they are trained by the county, however I don't know how much they get per run.

[ny10570 745]

There are several depts that do some type of pay per call. I know for a fact there are several in Massachusets that do. The money is suppose to help offset some of the expenses incurred by members of the dept durring the fullfilment of their duties including time away from work. Its not nearly as much, but it helps.

[Monty 35]

Of the 70 to 100 volunteers in the township fire department, Goss said, only 40 to 50 are considered active, meaning that they frequently respond to fire calls and attend meetings and events.

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I find this piece of the article interesting. I know that some municipalities give tax breaks for active firefighters. So for the cost of a few dollars dues, you can get a couple hundred bucks tax break - regardless of how active / inactive you are just as long as you are on the rolls.

I also know of another department that tried something like this. They kept the payments to under $600 (or thereabouts) so that they did not have to file 1099s to report miscellaneous income to the IRS.

Interestingly, it did very little to increase the level of participation in the department which was its main aim. Though it was appreciated by the already active members. The department does already have has some paid daytime guys and is considering adding more. The incentive reward was an attempt to do it within the current budget.

[Guest]

I used to volunteer in Escambia County,FL where there is a very large incentive/stipend program at work. At first I thought it was ludricrous to be getting paid as a volunteer, but then I started to realize that the amount of money I was spending on gas getting to calls and to and from classes. The extra money was going to be nice to have. The money was decently small but large enough for me to appreciate it. If you did not have your FF1 you would get $90 each month if you made 15% of the calls and had 20 hrs of training for the month. Each class that you had would add money. First Responder (which is required to be a FF1 in FL), HAZMAT, extrication, etc, would add more money to your stipend. A FF1 would get $150 plus. FF2 was making $200. I think the highest stipend went to the chief at $350. The other officers would get an added incentive for their time as well. Escambia county is set up as mostly volunteer, some mixed houses, and three stations fully manned 24/7. The problem was that 15% of the calls was really different from house to house. I ran out of the third busiest station with 175+ calls a month. There was one station where they had 0 calls for the month and everyone made stipend. If you watch Nip/Tuck and saw the last episode with Rosie ODonnell, thats is very representitive of people in that part of the country. That kind of attitude also permeated into the fire service which is a whole other story. The area is one of the poorest in the country so for some people the stipend represented a pretty decent chunk of money to help put food on the table.

As for the per call fire fighter, they are also present elsewhere in the country. Some are paid a flat rate per call, others punch the clock when the tones go out and dont stop till after the apparatus is declared back in service (with a minimum fee of course). It works for some people, especially the slower stations as previously stated.