Jan. 3—SOUTHINGTON — Four firefighter positions will be added to the department following concerns raised by the union.
The Board of Fire Commissioners approved the positions Thursday, after first responders had to issue a “mayday” call while battling a recent fire on Howard Avenue.
The town is adding one full-time position to next year’s budget. The other three positions will be subsidized through FEMA’s Staffing For Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant, which is meant to provide funding to increase and maintain the number of frontline firefighters at departments in need.
The total salary for all four positions would be just under $400,000, with an additional $8,000 expense for one-time training. The town will only be paying a fraction of that amount due to the subsidized positions through the grant, should it be awarded, but commissioners said that the town would still be putting forward allocated money as a contingency.
While they could cover all four positions with the grant, Fire Chief Eric Heath said it looks better on the application if the town actively shows some investment in its department.
“It basically shows the town has a little skin in the game, that we are also investing,” Heath said. “It reads better in the application process, in my opinion.”
The four new positions would add one additional firefighter to each of their four shifts. Additionally, the commission approved hiring two additional firefighters early to replace those retiring later this year so they can begin their training and have a seamless transition with no period of staffing loss.
Since the ‘mayday’ fire, there have also been numerous applications for volunteer positions to supplement the department’s ranks, with four additional volunteers approved for companies one and two, with three more applications coming in this week alone.
The approval for the new positions comes after a period of uncertainty. It was announced the commission was considering keeping the staffing level the same or closing Southington’s Station 3, or removing career staffing from the fire headquarters and relocating its trucks, which would leave some areas like Milldale without coverage.
Board Chairman Edmund Costello said he wished to reaffirm the commission’s commitment to investing and improving the fire department, to assuage the public’s concerns.
“I want to let all interested parties know that the commission does not, has not, and will not support the reduction in staffing or services,” Costello said. “We’re committed to public safety, that’s why we’re here and that’s why we’re involved.”\
The application for the grant opens in February, with the money anticipated to be awarded in September. Fire officials said new hires would likely be accepted within a period of 18 months. The grant money would last for a period of three years, but commissioners voiced their intent to maintain the positions beyond that time.
The Southington department has been facing staffing shortages for some time according to officials at the firefighters’ union, on account of several retirements and on-the-job injuries that have slimmed the department’s ranks
Ed Crandall, union president of the Southington Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 2033, who has raised concerns over the ongoing issues with the department, approved of the commission’s move not to reduce staffing. He did however wish to compel them to look forward, considering this a stopgap measure in solving the chronic staffing shortages.
“It’s time for us all to look forward to the continuing staffing needs of this department,” Crandall said.
He said Station 3 is empty on nights and weekends, Truck 1 can only respond with a driver and officer, and senior staff’s retirement is on the horizon as broadly volunteer numbers are decreasing.
“In every corner of town, growth is happening,” he said. “It’s an obvious fact the department must grow to match the town if we are to fulfill our responsibility to protect it. Southington Fire Department can’t stand another 30 years at late 1990 staffing levels.”
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Currently there are 37 firefighters at the department, which is an increase from the previous 31. Normally only seven are on shift at any given time, which can at times drop down to six, and can lead to a pressing need of personnel as was seen last week when the “mayday” call was issued — usually the last resort for any fire department.
Many residents who spoke at the meeting also said they felt the current levels of staffing didn’t match the community’s need, and the town should invest more in its fire department as it has lower than average staffing levels compared to towns of a similar size.
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