Township Drops Minimum Staffing Levels for Fire Department

In an effort to cut costs from the township's budget, West Orange administrators have lowered the minimum staffing levels at the township's four fire houses from 17 to 15.

"Right now, we have a minimum staffing level of 17 per tour," said Jack Sayers, the township's business administrator. "What we did was take the minimum staffing level and dropped it to 15."

Sayers said a lot of townships have shut down firehouses and just not manned them for weeks at a time. "We chose not to do that and instead reduce each firehouse by two so we have more options in regard to using our personnel," he said.

Currently, the township has four tours, or shifts, in the fire department. Three are 21-person tours and one is a 20-person tour. Normally, without any vacation or time off, West Orange has four tours running  during the week.

Robert Dsurney, fire captain and president of local 228, Fire Superior Officers Association, said the fire union has had numerous discussions with the township to help avoid this situation and to keep minimum safety standards to operate efficiently.

"We had discussions back and forth with the township about them cutting back manning from 17 to 15 to save on overtime since the township budgeted $300,000 for overtime and, due to minimal staff and an unofficial hiring freeze, it needs to be covered with overtime," he said.

Dsurney, who's been with the West Orange Fire Department for 23 years, said before the minimum staffing level decrease, the 84-person, full-time fire department manned four engines with four firefighters and an officer on each, one ladder truck with four firefighters and an officer and one ambulance with one firefighter and one officer.

Now, with the new minimum levels, Dsurney said, this forces them to put one ambulance out of service and balance the calls between the fire trucks.

"We're leaving one side of town unprotected," he said. "We're borrowing from Paul to pay Peter."

Sayers said the new minimum staffing level would save the township two overtimes per shift.

Although the township also is serviced by the West Orange First Aid Squad, Dsurney said, depending on the call, the fire department also responds.

He also said the first aid squad is a volunteer first aid squad and not staffed around the clock.

Dsurney said with the lowered staff levels, the fire department still is required to assist with medical calls by using fire trucks.

Sayers said the township took into consideration the safety of its residents and that the minimum staffing level is just that — the minimum.

"Now, if in fact we had 17 people on a tour and there were no vacation or sick calls and we only went down to 17, then we stay at 17," said Sayers, adding that the only time the firehouses would be staffed at 15 is if personnel take accrued time off. 

Sayers also said the township has mutual aid agreements with surrounding townships and cities to help with call volume.

Dsurney said he understands the township is trying to save money, but doesn't want to play Russian roulette with lives.

"There's got to be a point where we say, 'Is someone's life worth it,' " he said. "I know there's not an endless pot of gold, but where's it end?"

Sayers said he does not know how much the new staff levels will save the township in overtime costs because every day's overtime need varies depending on how many firefighters have the day off, "It's definitely going to reduce it."