West Hartford

[123fire]

West Hartford has its application out for firefighter.

I had a couple of questions if anyone knows.

Top step for pay?
25 years for retirement? @ what % of pay and does it include overtime?
Health bennies after retirement?

thanks for any info

[scotts48]

Thanks for the info

[nadeau526]

Taken from the town of west hartford web page: http://westhartford.org/TownServices/TownDepartments/EmployeeServices/Jobs/Firefighter2007.pdf

[KeithA8]

The new guys will be on a tiered contract. 25 years to retire with full bennies and age 50. pension is calculated to be 2 1/2 % a year including OT but not exceed 85% of your base salary. Also there is a cola for the new guys.

Starting pay is $51,298 plus 12 holidays
Top step will be in the mid $70k when you get there. (Our contract hasn't been negotiated that far)
We have 5 steps (Equal to 5 years)

Full health care bennefits for retirements and their families.

FF II & Paramedic are prefered but not required. Rumor has it they are trying to save money by skipping the accademy. We do not currently run a paramedic service.

[123fire]

Thanks Keith. Sounds like a sweet heart dept to work for. Seems if you havnt gotten your cpat before theres no time allowed to get it for application deadline.

[nadeau526]

Too bad I don't have my CPAT card yet :-( Otherwise my app would already be in.

[KeithA8]

The cpat thing is going to be an issue. I would put in the app in anyway and attach a note stating you have an appointment for x date. I think they will find a very small pool of candidates otherwise. They posted this test with no chance of anyone obtaining a cpat card in the allotted time. I'm not sure if they realize that or not.

[Sgnl50]

The cpat thing is going to be an issue. I would put in the app in anyway and attach a note stating you have an appointment for x date. I think they will find a very small pool of candidates otherwise. They posted this test with no chance of anyone obtaining a cpat card in the allotted time. I'm not sure if they realize that or not.


I called Human Resources the other day. Since I am taking the CPAT in November. The person I spoke with said no dice on applying without a current CPAT card. We will have to see how the whole thing pans out

Cheers
Matt

[123fire]

The new guys will be on a tiered contract. 25 years to retire with full bennies and age 50. pension is calculated to be 2 1/2 % a year including OT but not exceed 85% of your base salary. Also there is a cola for the new guys.

Starting pay is $51,298 plus 12 holidays
Top step will be in the mid $70k when you get there. (Our contract hasn't been negotiated that far)
We have 5 steps (Equal to 5 years)

Full health care bennefits for retirements and their families.

FF II & Paramedic are prefered but not required. Rumor has it they are trying to save money by skipping the accademy. We do not currently run a paramedic service.


keith what do you mean at age 50? And what is cola for the new guys?

[drags830]

I think cola means a "Cost of Living Allowance". Def seems like a really great department to work for.

[KeithA8]

Our last contract was tiered for the new guys hired after 2005. They must have 25 years and be age 50 to receive all the retired benefits. This is not an issue for most people unless you get on before you are 25 years old. Most guy stay 25-30 years anyway. Our pension max's out at 30 years. The new guys have a cola which we do not have. What that means is that you will continue to get a raise every year after you retire. Your max pension will not excede 80% of your base salary. Mine is 95% but I don't have a cola.

[123fire]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated. is there alot of opennings?

[bigredgofast]

Sounds like a really decent set-up. Does anyone know if they are putting a list together just to have one to draw from or if there are any actual or anticipated openings?

[KeithA8]

I'm not sure how many they will hire. We currently have 4 vacancies.

West Hartford is a GREAT dept to work for. We don't get the fires Hartford gets but everthing else considered it's a great job!!! We run 2 engines, 3 quints and a battalion chief out of 5 stations. Fantastic benefit package, top pay, many promotoinal opportunities. Promotions include driver, Lt, Capt, BC, Lt mechanic, Capt of training. We run a 3 days on - 3 days off - 3 nights on - 3 days off schedule. Which equals to a 42 hour week. Four person companies.

[CTJAKE]

If you are serious about getting on the job anywhere, you would already have your CPAT.

What is your current top step?

How many OT's do you avg./year?

Are you paid straight time or 1.5?

[crankshaft]

I believe current top step is 64.

[drags830]

How about call volume? Fire load?

[SmokeEater17]

A friend of mine is one of West Hartford's Battalion Chiefs. I ran into him the other day and he said there are currently 2 openings and 1 or 2 more in the next few months. As far as the CPAT goes, they are doing exactly what New Britain did last year. You must have a CPAT card WITH your application turned in by the posted deadline. If you don't have one or you are not signed up for the test this coming week you are SOL.

[PurplePants8]

If you are serious about getting on the job anywhere, you would already have your CPAT.


I would like to second this statement. It helped me out alot when I was testing. I was just about to take it a second time as most departments only honor it for a year. But it will definatly help you all out in being prepared for any dept. that tests.

[123fire]

are they just looking for paramedics?

[KeithA8]

We don't currently run a paramedic program and no such thing has been negotiated with the union. BUT, rumor has it that city hall is interested in doing a study to see how much revenue will be generated from it. Like every other town in this country West Hartford is having its budget problems too and this is one solution that has come up. Will it ever happen? I don't see it in the near future. I hope one day we do take it over. That is why they are prefering paramedics but it's not required. They also prefer Firefighter II so they can save money by not sending anyone to the accademy - this is also not required. I would encourage anyone with a cpat card to apply because I don't feel they will have many candidates who will have all three.

SmokeEater,
I don't know who you talked to but we have 4 vacancies right know and have had 4 for a while. In my opinion they will hire at least 4 right away. There is a potential for more to be hired off of this list before it expires. A few guys are talking about retirement in the next couple of years.

[SmokeEater17]

Keith I ran into Neil the other day and he told me that there was only 2 confirmed vacancies and 1 potentially two more in the near future. I'm just passing on the information that he told me.

[scotts48]

Dropped my app off on Friday, the woman in HR said there were 4 openings and that there was a considerable amount of applications thus far....

[bigredgofast]

I received my invitation to the written exam yesterday.

There are three testing times on 10/30 with roughly 75 people scheduled for each time. HR confirmed they are only testing on this one day so the initial candidate pool would appear to be about 225 people.

Best of Luck Everyone...

[drags830]

It does not seem to bad considering it sounds like a great city to work for based off what has been said about the department.

I have taken a couple different written tests, and I have not seen or heard of one that is 30 minutes long. It seems short... Has anyone else taken or heard of this?

[KeithA8]

So how did everyone do? I've heard alot of different opinions.

[bigredgofast]

It wasn't too bad. It was a 50 question fill in the blank/solve the problem deal from the people over at Worchester Polytechnic Institute. I am sure the town paid a bundle for the exams. We had 12 minutes to answer as many questions as possible. The proctor said we needed to get 21 questions right to proceed to the next level. I got up to question #45 but skipped a few that were overly complex or required long division. I've taken civil services exams, exams based off of FFI & FFII materials, and the professional exam company administered tests. This one was really no more difficult in terms of the types of questions being asked but I think the shorter time limit threw a few people for a loop.

[KeithA8]

Rumor has it that they went with this test because it was the cheapest one out there. Of course this is just guys throwing stones.

[scotts48]

How did everyone do?

[Ramrod360]

hey purple pants havent heard from u in a while. dont let those other guys intimidate u. keep on a posting

[medic8675]

I got a 34!

[drags830]

Anybody have any info as to when the next round (I am assuming oral board interview) is going to be taking place?

[PFDCV24]

When was there even a first round of interviews? I hope I didnt miss anything.

[drags830]

There was no first round of interviews yet. Was just wondering if anyone knew when they planned on doing the oral boards...

[KeithA8]

You guys haven't missed anything yet. They will be moving along quickly because they want to hire before the next recruit class starts. Just in case they have to send anyone. I doubt interviews will be done before the first of the year. But I don't know for sure.

[HTFDJAKE]

Is there a new quint 3? I've heard Engine 3 on the line and companies going to station 3 for training. Any news Keith

[KeithA8]

HTFDJAKE:
We sold Quint 3 (the old E-ONE platform). We ordered a new one which will be delivered in 10 months or so. We were put on a spare engine which became engine 3. Within a few days the brass decided that it is in the best interest of the town to move Qiunt 2 to station 3 creating another Quint 3. This sent the spare engine to station 2 creating engine 2. Now we have a ladder north (Quint4) and one south (Quint 3). So to answer your question yes there is a new Quint 3 but its actualy Quint 2.

[HTFDJAKE]

What type of apparatus did you order to replace Quint 3 (old E-one rearmount tower) and where will the new apparatus be assigned (if you know)?

[KeithA8]

We just ordered a Crimson. It will be the new Quint 3. The current Quint 3 will go back to Quint 2 when it arrives.

[ffbfd3]

I heard there were promotions within the dept. Will this open up any more positions.

[KeithA8]

There are no promotional positions open at this time. They just gave a Lt and driver test. They promoted one Lt. There are no driver postitions open at this time. They do plan to hire 4 new recruits in Jan.

[scotts48]

interviews 1/16- 1/18 ........

[PFDCV24]

3 days of interviews, must be alot of guys taking it.

[drags830]

Not sure how many, but I know they are only interviewing those with FF2 and EMT, or FF1 and Paramedic certs... Unfortunately for me I have Fire 2 but I am taking my EMT written in January...

[PFDCV24]

recently heard about 40 taking interviews