Mutual Aid Membership

[bfd1144 22]

Looking for anyone with information (specifically policies & procedures) regarding mutual aid membership in another fire department. My agency is exploring this and I'm curious how these programs are run and how insurance coverage is. I know it is increasingly popular in NYS (with bunk in programs) and now Yorktown FD is also doing a program. Any info would be helpful, or message me. 

Thanks

[LayTheLine 108]

I've never heard of it called mutual aid membership, but times do change. I had to read the question twice. What I have always heard it referred to is dual membership status. It was very lax when it started back in the day, but I suppose with legal ramifications so prevalent that policies and procedures need to be in place. I'll be interested to see some of the responses. 

[vodoly 535]

Dual membership is happening in some departments in Bergen County also with members that work for borough such as Dpw Some departments have the 10 mile radius rule too

[AFS1970 504]

I have mixed feelings on dual membership. My old department had a specific rule against it but that rule was NEVER enforced, including on some high profile veteran members. My current department has no such rule and in many ways encourages dual membership. That being said, if a member can manage to meet attendance and training requirements for two departments then more power too them. I know this can be hard, especially if drill schedules conflict. I have found neighboring departments willing to work together.

 

I had a member who was going to be listed as exterior by another town because she had not met their training requirements. I wrote her a letter listing her drill attendance to their training officer, even offered him copies of drill reports, he accepted the letter and restored her interior status. I have personally seen more people not be able to handle meeting these requirements than those who have. 

 

One local chief is against letting dual members vote, because he does not want members of other departments voting on who is chief in his own department., While I think that is mostly self serving, I kind of see his point. I also don't like neighboring departments using dual members to pad out their rosters, as each member can only be in one place at one time. 

 

As for legal and insurance issues, those may be defined in statutes. Workers Compensation is usually required for all members, these laws are probably silent on dual members. Here in CT we also have a law that allows an individual to volunteer anywhere statewide as long as approved by the chief/IC and they are covered by their home department (I don't have the exact wording on hand). Now that is a call by call based law that probably never envisioned someone responding to multiple calls in another district, but the intent is fairly clear. 

[dwcfireman 656]

I volunteered with one department that allowed mutual aid members.  To begin, all of those members had to meet the requirements for regular membership, as in they had to work within the district 40 hours per week, and meet the required percentages for training and emergency responses.  They could attend company meetings, but they couldn't vote on certain topics or in certain elections.  The mutual aid members, if I recall correctly, were not required to help with fundraising activities, but they were encouraged to help out.

 

This was set up essentially to gain a few extra members during the daytime, when turnout is generally low during the work week.  The down side was that these members weren't always capable of leaving their jobs to respond to a call, which defeated the purpose.  But we did gain a few good members out of the program, and one of the mutual aid members was even allowed to become an EMS lieutenant (I don't recall what bylaw changes were made to allow that).

 

All in all, if your department is going to build such a program that allows firefighters from other departments to ride as mutual aid/assistance members, make sure you research the laws and statutes that pertain to fire department membership.  It's illegal in NYS to be an active volunteer firefighter with two different departments, and the mutual aid membership is a grey area: Are they a member of two departments?  Or are they simply riding on another department's apparatus?  Get your department's legal counsel involved in the research and planning phases to ensure your T's are crossed and I's are dotted before accepting mutual aid members, that is if you r able to launch such a program.  Talk to departments that have these programs, including the bunk-in programs for college students and young firefighters.  Hawthorne and Purchase come to my mind as departments to reach out to.

 

IMHO, the bunk-in programs for college students and young firefighters, which can involve mutual aid members, is a great way to gain and retain young membership and get them involved in a rewarding career, whether they remain a volunteer or advance later into a paid position.  This would be a great route to take if you're looking to fill some seats with dedicated personnel.

[MiFF 23]

Is there a reason it's illegal in New York? It shocks me a state can go so far as to make membership or employment at two places illegal. I feel that should be left up to the individual employer or organization. Here in Michigan it's quite common for people to be on two or even more departments if they want. Basically if they can meet the expectations then their departments are usually ok with it. I have heard of individual departments that don't allow it.

[dwcfireman 656]

11 hours ago, MiFF said:

Is there a reason it's illegal in New York? 

 

The reason explained to me many moons ago was to prevent the double collection of workman's compensation and/or disability in the event of a line of duty injury or death.

[MiFF 23]

Do they make it illegal to work for two employers of any sort? I mean that can be an issue any time someone works for multiple employers. 

[mfc2257 464]

It has been 14 or so years since I left NY but my understanding at the time, what the only restriction was that the individual in question could not participate in more than one benevolent association or LOSAP at the same time.  Could be wrong.... Almost 15 years and three kids will do that to a person. 

[MiFF 23]

I guess the LOSAP thing makes sense. In Michigan we don't have many agencies with retirement for on call/volunteer members so that's less of an issue here. 

[GBFD111 73]

Not sure if this is much help but I was a Mutual Aid member of a Volunteer Fire Department from 2009-2013 when I was in college in Upstate NY. I was already a member of another fire department in Westchester so I had to join their "mutual aid membership." We wouldn't pay annual dues, weren't allowed in meetings nor allowed to vote, but had to abide by all of the same standards as their firefighters, such as physicals, annual interior requalifications, etc. This was perfect as I was able to volunteer and able to serve the community of my college town and did not have to deal with any of the politics or drama from the meetings. As a mutual aid member, I was allowed to use my home department gear or would be issued gear from the mutual aid department. As for insurance, my understanding was that I was covered under the Mutual Aid departments insurance, similar to if you call mutual aid regularly from another department. 

[LayTheLine 108]

Very good information GBFD111. But to clarify, which department would be covering your insurance? The last sentence isn't clear to me. Thanks

[GBFD111 73]

The department in which you are giving mutual aid to, not your original department 

Edited February 25, 2019 by GBFD111