Subcontracting Fire Service in Nevada

[Truck4 48]

Clark County and Laughlin, NV want to close a Truck company and "subcontract" thier district to Bullhead, AZ fire to save, they say, $3 million dollars.

Interesting political tactic, what do you think?

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/jul/15/why-reids-dukes-are-down/

(Article also mentions a move to privatize ARFF at McCarren Airport, now covered by Clark County Fire)

[antiquefirelt 994]

Clark County and Laughlin, NV want to close a Truck company and "subcontract" thier district to Bullhead, AZ fire to save, they say, $3 million dollars.

Interesting political tactic, what do you think?

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/jul/15/why-reids-dukes-are-down/

(Article also mentions a move to privitize ARFF at McCarren Airport, now covered by Clark County Fire)

I wondered how they came up with $3 million for a single truck co. until I saw the wages. Clearly the cost of living must be pretty high there, but average FF compensation of $172K? That's going to be a tough sell. The article fails to explain the travel distance/time for the contracted truck service. Most readers will not likely see the whole picture without being given the information. What will this do to the ISO rating of the city? How will it effect larger commercial properties insurance rates? How long before vertical ventilation can actually be facilitated? Rescues over ground ladder heights?

[64FFMJK 21]

I wondered how they came up with $3 million for a single truck co. until I saw the wages. Clearly the cost of living must be pretty high there,

When I lived in Las Vegas for 3 years I almost bought a 5 bedroom house for $175,000. My sister bought the same house from the same builder in the Denver area for $750,000. Not to mention no state income tax and low average pay by most casino's make it an inexpensive area to live. The only reason I moved out of Las Vegas is my son was born and it is no place to raise a child.

Laughlin is right on the Colorado River across from Bullhead city and a long way from any other resources the county has. Remember there is a limited number of agencies in Clark County Nevada and most have merged with each other (Sheriff's office and LVMPD)

I still don't see that much savings being realistic.

[antiquefirelt 994]

When I lived in Las Vegas for 3 years I almost bought a 5 bedroom house for $175,000.

So life as a firefighter making $175K a year is pretty good?

[JohnnyOV 2]

So life as a firefighter making $175K a year is pretty good?

I'd say life anywhere making 175g's a year as a firefighter is pretty good...

[FFEMTPD72 2]

$175,000 in any profession is great. An amazing salary for a firefighter...

[RescueKujo 130]

Remember, when talking "compensation" you are talking everything....salary, medical, pension, dental etc....

that said a lot of departments here in the West have open positions, and fill staffing with OT...until now most financial departments felt it was a savings, as you aren't paying for another employee's "benefits". Here in California with campaign fires every year (over a week deployment), it is not unusual for many firefighters to earn a salary of over 100K...

[antiquefirelt 994]

Remember, when talking "compensation" you are talking everything....salary, medical, pension, dental etc....

The article notes in this case the total compensation average is $229K!. The "salary" as put into the article includes base, overtime and incentives like holiday pay and sick time buy back (or similar).

[spin_the_wheel 460]

I wonder what the Lt, Capt and Chiefs payscales are? The problem that is starting to happen now is that civil service salaries are starting to be real nice in many areas. Back in the day it was understood that most civil service jobs, PD, FD, Sanatation ect...had rather low pay, BUT it was a secure job, with a pension and full medical paid for. What you lacked in salary you made up with the extras. You knew this taking a civil service position, people in the PD and FD did it for the love of the job and almost everyone would say "your not going to be rich being in this job". These jobs all went under the microscope for the most part.

The times are changing now...payscales are starting to be very high, the difference between White and Blue collar jobs is not as much as it used to be. And when you consider the pensions and full paid medical as part of the package, these jobs are now in many ways better then White collar, espiecially with all the layoffs in the White collar world the last decade. These civil service jobs are now drawing the attention of the public and politicians. This has been going on in my neck of the woods with the Nassau County PD for years, Nassau and Suffolk are some of, if not, the highest paid Patrolman positions in the country. Politicians and the public are starting to put these jobs in the spotlight and backlash from the public has started some of which I have never seen before.

Im a union guy, so I know the public is looking at out payscales like never before. Unions are going to have to take a fresh look at the landscape now and 10 years from now. I know many union members are taking cuts, redoing contracts and other things to save jobs. I know my union has made cuts after a contract was in place to save jobs and full paid health, but for how long.

Edited July 16, 2010 by spin_the_wheel

[spin_the_wheel 460]

I wonder what the Lt, Capt and Chiefs payscales are? The problem that is starting to happen now is that civil service salaries are starting to be real nice in many areas. Back in the day it was understood that most civil service jobs, PD, FD, Sanatation ect...had rather low pay, BUT it was a secure job, with a pension and full medical paid for. What you lacked in salary you made up with the extras. You knew this taking a civil service position, people in the PD and FD did it for the love of the job and almost everyone would say "your not going to be rich being in this job". These jobs all went under the microscope for the most part.

The times are changing now...payscales are starting to be very high, the difference between White and Blue collar jobs is not as much as it used to be. And when you consider the pensions and full paid medical as part of the package, these jobs are now in many ways better then White collar, espiecially with all the layoffs in the White collar world the last decade. These civil service jobs are now drawing the attention of the public and politicians. This has been going on in my neck of the woods with the Nassau County PD for years, Nassau and Suffolk are some of, if not, the highest paid Patrolman positions in the country. Politicians and the public are starting to put these jobs in the spotlight and backlash from the public has started some of which I have never seen before.

Im a union guy, so I know the public is looking at out payscales like never before. Unions are going to have to take a fresh look at the landscape now and 10 years from now. I know many union members are taking cuts, redoing contracts and other things to save jobs. I know my union has made cuts after a contract was in place to save jobs and full paid health, but for how long.

Check out page 26 and 27 of todays Daily News...this is just what I was talking about, there is going to be some major changes to civil service jobs, unions are going to have to give a little, the politicians are looking hard at the system in place now. Check it out.