Officer coverage in Career Departments

[Guest FFNick]

I'm curious to know how other career fire departments handle covering for a company officer who is off on sick/injury/vacation, etc.

Depending on our particular manning for that day, the City will either:

1. Hire an overtime Captain or Lieutenant to fill the vacancy

2. Allow a firefighter from that company (or house if multi co's) to "act" as an Officer that shift

3. Travel a Captain or Lieutenant to fill the vacancy (99.9% it's a Lt.) and have a FF "act" as officer on the travelling officer's company

We will not allow rolling closures for any fire company in the City.

[Jason762 2]

I'm curious to know how other career fire departments handle covering for a company officer who is off on sick/injury/vacation, etc.

Depending on our particular manning for that day, the City will either:

1. Hire an overtime Captain or Lieutenant to fill the vacancy

2. Allow a firefighter from that company (or house if multi co's) to "act" as an Officer that shift

3. Travel a Captain or Lieutenant to fill the vacancy (99.9% it's a Lt.) and have a FF "act" as officer on the travelling officer's company

We will not allow rolling closures for any fire company in the City.

Stamford is similar to Bpt. Vacancies are filled by:

1. Have an eligible FF or LT who is on the appropriate promotional list act in the higher capacity

2. Hire an OT Lt or Capt if there is: a. OT and b. that person has low enough hours to be hired

3. If neither of the above can be met then the vacancy is filled by seniority.

We do have a minimum of sworn officers that must be on-duty at all times. If we fall below that then either vacation will be cancelled or more likely an officer will be hired back on OT.

[crk830 8]

Stamford is similar to Bpt. Vacancies are filled by:

1. Have an eligible FF or LT who is on the appropriate promotional list act in the higher capacity

2. Hire an OT Lt or Capt if there is: a. OT and b. that person has low enough hours to be hired

3. If neither of the above can be met then the vacancy is filled by seniority.

We do have a minimum of sworn officers that must be on-duty at all times. If we fall below that then either vacation will be cancelled or more likely an officer will be hired back on OT.

In Norwalk we have to hire (overtime) rank for rank Ie: Capt for a Capt, Lt for a Lt, often the officer has to move from one station to another to cover the job. If we are unable to fill the vacancy that way we than go to anyone that is on that promotional list. After that we will go to the seniority method, senior Capt to DC, senior Lt to Capt, than Senior firefighter to Lt. Anyone who acts in a higher rank receives a small amount of extra pay in addition to their regular overtime rate, $12.00 from Captain to Dc, $11.00 Lt. to Captain and $10.00 FF. to Lt. As a last resort we will hold over someone in that rank position. In my twenty years we have yet to run short all of the jobs get covered one way or another. Having minimum man power in the contact is a great thing, at least until the city over hires which can be another whole topic.

Chris

Edited January 4, 2008 by crk830

[NWFDMedic 58]

Simple question... do these firefighters working up as officers get out of title compensation for the day?

[Guest FFNick]

Jason762:

Do you hire a Captain for a Captain vacancy, or can LT's work in a Captain spot for OT?

When you say have an eligible FF who is on the appropriate promotional list, are you saying that a qualified FF can be hired as OT for a LT spot, and get paid officer pay at time and a half? (I'm assuming your OT is time and a half, but maybe it isn't?) Or are you detailing a FF on duty to cover?

When you have an eligible FF, is it city wide, or just from that company/house? We are very sensitive to not have a FF travel to a different house to "act". BUT, we do not pay any attention to see if the member is on a promotional list.

Thanks

Edited January 4, 2008 by FFNick

[Guest FFNick]

Simple question... do these firefighters working up as officers get out of title compensation for the day?

In Bridgeport, yes, they get LT pay for the shift.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Officer coverage...well maybe if some closed minded people who use nothing but mis information to thwart our attempts to get the positions we need and actually deserve would either knock it off or go bye bye....I would be able to comment on this thread as well. But until they stop with their selfish little pride issues and their chicken little syndrome that the sky will fall, I'll have to wait till then brothers.

[Guest]

This should be addressed in the CBA with the municipality. Where I work, there is no out of title provision. (No acting officers). I do know a few jobs with limited personnel who do, however. If it's a concern either way, prod the union to address it next negotiation. Good luck, stay safe.

[Jason762 2]

Jason762:

Do you hire a Captain for a Captain vacancy, or can LT's work in a Captain spot for OT?

When you say have an eligible FF who is on the appropriate promotional list, are you saying that a qualified FF can be hired as OT for a LT spot, and get paid officer pay at time and a half? (I'm assuming your OT is time and a half, but maybe it isn't?) Or are you detailing a FF on duty to cover?

When you have an eligible FF, is it city wide, or just from that company/house? We are very sensitive to not have a FF travel to a different house to "act". BUT, we do not pay any attention to see if the member is on a promotional list.

Thanks

NWFD, yes all actors are paid at the rank for which they are acting as.

Nick,

Here is the hierarchy of filling shifts:

Say a Capt. is on VAC, his spot is filled by a sworn LT from his house first, but if that LT is off or it is a single rig house then it is filled by a LT from another house and the acting is done on a rotating basis, based on whoever has the lowest amount of acting hours. Now with all that being said, if there is OT that day and say they are hiring 5 people (members are hired by whoever has the lowest hours) and a Capt. is in the top 5 on the "hit list" (this is the sheet listing members who signed up to work OT based on low hours) then he gets the OT shift and the LT's remain in the LT rank. If a LT is getting hired for OT then the regular duty LT will act Capt. and the OT Lt will work as LT. The same goes for filling a LT shift. Now there are times, especially in the summer when they run short of on duty officers and not too many people sign up for OT, during these times a LT may get hired to act Capt on OT, same goes for a FF acting Lt on OT. There is a downside to all this...if you are a Lt or Capt, or DC for that matter and say for example you have low hours (first on the hit list) but no regular duty officers are off, you get what we call "no-roomed", basically they pass you by (we cannot work below rank) and hire a FF with more hours. The higher you go up the chain the more often this happens. To make things even more confusing we can take partial shifts off which can make doing manpower a total nightmare. In the end it always seems to work out though. As for working in your own house, if there is an acting slot in your house then you get it, if there are 2 or more actors in the same house, then typically the junior of the two will get sent out to act in another house if there is an open slot. They also try to keep OT officers in their own house when possible. Also OT is at time and a half. Hope this answered your questions...

Edited January 4, 2008 by Jason762

[Guest FFNick]

Thanks for the info, Jason.

How often though, does a FF have the opportunity to work OT as a Lieutenant? I wouldn't think that would happen too often.

[DFD801 0]

Officer coverage...well maybe if some closed minded people who use nothing but mis information to thwart our attempts to get the positions we need and actually deserve would either knock it off or go bye bye....I would be able to comment on this thread as well. But until they stop with their selfish little pride issues and their chicken little syndrome that the sky will fall, I'll have to wait till then brothers.

What's this all about? Care to elaborate?

[Guest alsfirefighter]

LOL. DFD...you know exactly whats its about. I think that pretty much explains it to a tee exactly.

[Jason762 2]

Thanks for the info, Jason.

How often though, does a FF have the opportunity to work OT as a Lieutenant? I wouldn't think that would happen too often.

Not very often...it all depends on how many actors a given shift has. If a given shift only has a few actors and there are a lot of officers on VAC/Sick/etc. and there aren't any officers getting hired for OT, THEN a FF could be hired on OT to act. As you can see all the moons have to be in alignment for this to happen.