Mayor Demeza Delhomme has prohibited village employees who are volunteer firefighters from

[FireMedic049 597]

It seems to me that the Mayor's two main points are that people are getting paid to leave work to go on fire calls and that the other employees have to pick up slack. If the union is okay with the other employees picking up the slack, and the employees aren't getting paid for going on fire calls, I don't see what the argument would be.

More than likely these employees were being allowed to leave work to go on fire calls without loss of pay rather than actually being "paid to leave work to go on fire calls".

It's very similar to the "get paid to sleep" assertions regarding paid firefighters. I don't get paid to sleep. Like the vast majority of career firefighters, I get paid to be at my fire station, available to immediately respond to calls during my shift along with being paid to respond to those calls, maintain my station and equipment, perform inspections and other tasks. It just happens that if not on a call, sleeping at night during a 24 hour shift is allowed.

Call it semantics if you want, but I think they are important distinctions.

[FireMedic049 597]

It's a tough situation, but I side with the mayor on this one (as long as he is within legal bounds).

1) They are on the clock as employees, they were hired to do a job and be at the job. Yes, they might be late because they are at a structure fire, fine. But leaving the job for an alarm? I would consider that "off the clock" and they don't get paid.

I would agree that being "off the clock" while on the call would be a reasonable stance by the employer.

2) Liability, if they respond to an alarm during their normal working hours, they get injured, is that considered "on the job" since it's during their work shift, they are getting paid and they got permission to respond to the alarm?

More than likely, not really an issue since their employer (at least in my state) is the one paying for the FD's worker's comp. So either way, the injury claim would be submitted on the same policy.

3) Do they have to respond to the alarm in their POV or do the DPW employees take the town vehicles to the alarm and in essence out of service?

I don't know, but it may or may not be an issue. While the employee is on the call, the job the vehicle would be needed for may not be getting done anyway.

4) If they are able to do this for fire and EMS personnel, then someone who volunteers at the school as a tutor, crossing guard or with Salvation Army, American Red Cross, DMAT, physicians without borders can sue for paid time off to volunteer also. Just opening a can or worms.

No can of worms being opened because there is a clear difference between responding to an unscheduled emergency situation in the town they are working in and volunteering for the things you listed.

I understand the need to staff volunteer emergency services. I did it. When I was working at home and the pager went out, if they couldn't staff the rig on the first or second set of tones, I left my paid job to take the call. I had an understanding manager that allowed me to do this, but he had the right to tell me that I could not do that and I would have had to comply.

Correct, your employer had the right to restrict your responding. I don't believe that the right to restrict these volunteers from responding is what is truly being questioned, just the wisdom of the decision and the effect that it'll have on the community.

[velcroMedic1987 330]

Do we really have to start the union rhetoric and paid/volunteer nonsense here again?

This isn't a union issue. There's no local being subverted by volunteers in Spring Valley. This is a volunteer FD.

If you think that every volunteer FD should be replaced by a paid, career FD, that's your opinion and you're entitled to that opinion. Start a thread to that effect.

[efd184 59]

I bet dpw guys are union ???

[gamewell45 258]

Fact of the matter is right or wrong, this will be a public relations nightmare for the town, no two ways about it.

[10512 214]

The Journal News is reporting the Mayor has reversed his decision.

[gamewell45 258]

The Journal News is reporting the Mayor has reversed his decision.

That's what we call damage control.

[BFD1054 1,552]

Looks like it's time for another recruiting drinking party

Could you elaborate on where one could go to do as you've mentioned?

Does the bank teller in town get to run out the door when the pager goes off at 11am? How about the teacher who is teaching a lesson in the elementary school? I do t think they do. If your job is dpw get then that's your job not being a ff. When your done at work then you can play ff. But when the town is paying you to serve the town get to work!

Would you still go if your job stopped paying you?

Stop crying

I haven't really seen anybody "crying."

What I do see is another blatant attempt to bash volunteers as you often seem to do. It seems you only post when it's a pro-career topic or anti-volly.

I get it, you're a career FF (apparently) and you're proud of that. I get it and I totally understand it. I have nothing but respect for career firemen and am proud to call many of them my friends.

Just don't understand why you continually waste your breathe on bashing vollies?

Stay safe sir

[spin_the_wheel 460]

I bet dpw guys are union ???

What would that have to do with the Spring Valley FD? They are not "taking jobs" form union people. How could that be if there were never paid positions to begin with?

I guess if your a union guy (for the record I am also, and also volunteer) when you have work done on your home you always use labor from union locals to do the work. Not electricians, plumbers or carpenters that are not in a union right? Good man.

[FireMedic049 597]

What would that have to do with the Spring Valley FD? They are not "taking jobs" form union people. How could that be if there were never paid positions to begin with?

I guess if your a union guy (for the record I am also, and also volunteer) when you have work done on your home you always use labor from union locals to do the work. Not electricians, plumbers or carpenters that are not in a union right? Good man.

You should re-read the posts. The "union" aspect of the discussion has nothing to do with "'taking jobs' from union people".

[RANDY45 11]

Does the bank teller in town get to run out the door when the pager goes off at 11am? How about the teacher who is teaching a lesson in the elementary school? I do t think they do. If your job is dpw get then that's your job not being a ff. When your done at work then you can play ff. But when the town is paying you to serve the town get to work!

Would you still go if your job stopped paying you?

Stop crying

Another idiotic comment! The teacher may not run but how about members of the custodial staff?

" when the town is paying you to serve the town get to work" what do you call volunteering.? That is serving the town! volunteers are considered employees!

Your most rediculous statement " would you still go if your job stopped paying you?" , we are talking about a volunteer fire department, they respond and don't get paid. They get up in the middle of the night when they are not being paid to sleep and respond to alarms.

No one is crying yet! The taxpayers will be when they have to pay for a fully staffed fire department.

Career departments are necessary in certain places and I hope those firefighters get the best pay and benefits. But, the volunteer service serves the majority of this country and many places can not afford a paid department. This thread is not about paid vs volunteer. We can both make stupid statements about the other side.

This is about a municipality depending on a life saving volunteer service but not being willing to let there own employees volunteer. It just does not make sense.

[Dinosaur 844]

Another idiotic comment! The teacher may not run but how about members of the custodial staff?

" when the town is paying you to serve the town get to work" what do you call volunteering.? That is serving the town! volunteers are considered employees!

Your most rediculous statement " would you still go if your job stopped paying you?" , we are talking about a volunteer fire department, they respond and don't get paid. They get up in the middle of the night when they are not being paid to sleep and respond to alarms.

No one is crying yet! The taxpayers will be when they have to pay for a fully staffed fire department.

Career departments are necessary in certain places and I hope those firefighters get the best pay and benefits. But, the volunteer service serves the majority of this country and many places can not afford a paid department. This thread is not about paid vs volunteer. We can both make stupid statements about the other side.

This is about a municipality depending on a life saving volunteer service but not being willing to let there own employees volunteer. It just does not make sense.

The issue is not about letting employees volunteer. This issue is about whether or not they should be allowed to leave their jobs to respond to calls for service. Not the same thing.

It makes perfect sense and the mayor has a point. He has the right to regulate what employees do during working hours. This may have been a poor way to handle it but there have been several very valid points brought up in this discussion thus far.

How about the volunteer FD deal with it's membership issues? Nobody in this thread or the article suggested a fully staffed career department.

[grushkjs 2]

Dinosaur, you've hit the nail on the head. This is simply an issue as to whether you should be allowed to leave your job to respond to calls. The other good point that was made relates to staffing. The fact that people must leave work to respond to emergencies brings into question the membership levels and staffing. I can understand for large structure fires that require a large manpower response a few times per year, but for every call? It is a disservice to citizens/taxpayers that employees should be allowed to respond, period. Again, the broader issue is staffing in general. If anyone here tells me that not allowing them to leave work puts lives at risk, then you better get a reality check and get paid staff.

[efd184 59]

Hahahahah

Edited December 6, 2013 by efd184

[BFD1054 1,552]

For the record, I am both a volunteer firefighter and a (union) DPW employee. I work for the Village that I grew up in, where I was a volunteer FF for approximately 12 years before moving out of the area.

In that time, I don't ever remember my role as a volly ever getting in the way of my job. My job is just that, my job. It pays my bills and puts food on the table. I would never risk my career, especially for the volunteer FD.

To my knowledge, my Village would not allow me to leave work for a fire call. Personally I've never cared enough to ask because I'm paid to be here, at work, working.

My understanding is that you may leave work (in NYS) to respond to an alarm. However, your employer does not have to pay you for the time you were gone. Similarly, your employer can not penalize or fire you. Again, this is my understanding. Perhaps someone such as Barry could clear things up or elaborate.

Again, as a DPW employee I do not allow my role as a volunteer firefighter to interfere with my job.

I will also say that I agree with most people here in saying that you are paid by your employer to perform a job, not to be a fireman. Unless you are taken off the clock (while in the role of firefighter), it becomes a sticky situation (IMO). I don't agree that you should be paid while volunteering as a fireman.

If any municipality is that hard-up for membership, perhaps they should hire (gasp) career firefighters. Or...wait for it....look into consolidation (I know, I must be delusional).

[ladder55 26]

I'm a volunteer firefighter and a union Dpw worker also in the village I grew up in. Our mayor and trustees allow dpw workers to respond to alarms during working hours and it has benefited residents numerous times. The board understands that we are still providing a service to the residents and have always supported our response. I personally think you should use discretion and not abuse the privilege. If the call ends you return to work, if you are working on something important at work you don't respond to every smell and bell, but when there is a serious incident there are not many DPW jobs that take priority.

[Bottom of Da Hill 76]

Hahahahah

your a clown kid,hows the parades going for ya,hahaha,he has alot of time on his hands at work to play on emt bravo when he should be working?to bad he doesnt get the emount of calls as springvally doe.s LOL.o well another basher i see.

[Bottom of Da Hill 76]

I would hope a School Teacher would not Volunteer at all. After all why would somebody in a Union be a Hypocrite and Volunteer for anything if not getting Paid! Right fellow Union Brothers? Yeah Right![/quote

Nooo that never happens lol

i dont think this guy is a paid man from eastchester,i know a few paid guys from there and they dont talk like this kid stuff he doe.s.i wouldnt call him a brother any way shape or form.sounds likes he is just in it for a pay check!talk about a HYPOCRITE?

[wedgeclose 59]

I've got to chime (not tone) in here. Do these workers actually respond ON EVERY CALL? I doubt it..they do have pagers etc and more than likely portable radios either in their vehicles or on their person. They are not going to respond to "nuisance alarms" unless the first arriving units assertain that the alarm is indeed a "worker" either fire, accident or other emergency that requires more manpower than the initail responders can handle. Of course if a call comes in that an actual emergency exists on dispatch then by all means they should respond in a life and death situation. For the most part if one or two DPW (or other village or town workers) respond on a REAL EMERGENCY I doubt any non responding worker would feel "cheated" because he had to continue working. Most municipal workers live in the area and should be glad these people can respond.