Minneapolis Using Volunteers To Fill Vacant Positions

[Jedimike007]

I was wondering what your opinion is on Minneapolis MN using volunteer firefighters to help staff the dept. I believe they lost a total of 42 firefighters due to budget cuts.

[firenresq77]

Jedi, you have a story or link or something to go along with this??

[WTFD10]

http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/fire/docs/Business_Plan.pdf

Paid-on-call firefighters is one of the options listed to keep the department in compliance with the staffing level requirements of NFPA 1710.

Other options listed are:
Contracting services to neighboring communities,
Charging for vehicle extrications,
4th person rig is a hired Paramedic,
Use of college students as 4th person on rig,
Bidding for onsite EMS services for public events that are currently contracted out,
Sponsorship on rigs,
Charitable gambling events
and several others.

This is going to be an interesting thread...

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

Is Minneapolis a IAFF city?

(Guess where I'm going with this)

[LadyCapn]

I haven't read the entire document, however it appears to be a standard business report to council. Quite often when faced with potential cuts etc "all scenarios" will be presented and examined and then council decides which option they prefer. Just because it's in there doesn't necessarily mean it's a serious consideration. Yes there are some who will like those ideas, however they are normally shot down pretty quickly. It is a means for the Chief to present all options to those who control the purse strings. Even if some of those options aren't viable they are presented as an option.

[KeithA8]

I haven't heard about this. Do I understand that they are filling Paid positions with volunteers? If this is the case then I have a HUGE problem with the SCABS filling these positions!!! Please keep us posted on this story.

[kfactor]

You need to look at the MFD report, much more than just alternative staffing models - looking to implement a "Quint Concept" and moving from specialist staffing concept to a general staffing concept to increase workforce flexibility, and more. There's a lot in there ...

[mfdff2]

Let me start by saying I have not read the article yet. Second I am a proud union firefighter and if they are filling union jobs with volunteers someone needs to step up and put an end to it right now!

[GreatPlainsFF]

DO NOT JUMP THE GUN. Minneapolis is not filling positions with volunteers at this time. They have reduced staff on all engines from some with 4 and some with 3 to all with 3 and laid off a bunch of people. If you ask me, many of these options are just posturing by the city (we all know how it works, we've all been involved with contract negotiations).

I will eat my boots if Minneapolis uses volunteers. It is a city of over 300,000 people. Not possible from where I sit.

[GreatPlainsFF]

DO NOT JUMP THE GUN. Minneapolis is not filling positions with volunteers at this time. They have reduced staff on all engines from some with 4 and some with 3 to all with 3 and laid off a bunch of people. If you ask me, many of these options are just posturing by the city (we all know how it works, we've all been involved with contract negotiations).

I will eat my boots if Minneapolis uses volunteers. It is a city of over 300,000 people. Not possible from where I sit.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

Originally posted by mfdff2
Let me start by saying I have not read the article yet. Second I am a proud union firefighter and if they are filling union jobs with volunteers someone needs to step up and put an end to it right now!

Exactly my point.

If the word "volunteer" appear in the business plan, politicians could make it happen. The plan also calls for using College students as the fourth man. If it's in there, and some politician can say he saved money by doing it...it's possible.

So, the MFD is represented by IAFF Local 82. Why aren't they outraged? Brothers getting laid off, plans to use scabs, etc. But they have not weighed in. Why? Well, they are way too busy trying to rid the world of the scourges of a volunteer fire department instead of dealing with an issue that directly effects one of their shops.

But, go ahead. Someone try to tell me about how it's not about the volunteers.

And remember, spare me the union rhetoric. I am a union member.

[FyredUp]

George....

Once again you are right on the money. The anti-volunteer, volunteer is a scab, rhetoric continues to be spouted. You are absolutley correct in your insight that it is about the volunteers.

KeithA8...

I am just curious...on your off days what is your scab job? Whose job are you stealing part-time? Whose food off the table are you stealing? If you work in the trades and are not union YOU my friend are a SCAB. Irregardless of whther your actions directly effect the IAFF or you fire department or not. So unless you can say you DON'T work a part-time gig let's not toss the word scab around.

Yes I am a career fire fighter and an IAFF member, and yes I am a volly where I live, I also teach for the tech school where I am in fact a dues paying member of the union.

Face facts, the volunteers are the majority of firefighters in this country. Some places are years, if not decades away from even contemplating paid personnel. Some places should have paid or at the very least be combinmation departments right now because of call volume. Being a volunteer doesn't make you the enemy of the IAFF anymore than being a member of the IAFF makes you an enemy of the vollies.

Personally, I don't believe for one second that Minneapolis will institute a program using P.O.C. or volly firefighters. Staffing reductions are hitting almost every fire department and we will do what we have always done, more with less. Is it right? Of course not, but when the bottom line is always how much are your taxes and not how good is your service, it is the way it will be most places.

FyredUp

[WTFD10]

Good post Fyred Up

I also do not believe this will ever happen. "Paid on Call" implies they only report to work when called. What kind of response time are they going to have in a major metropolitan area? Also, who would take these jobs in what will undoubtedly be a very hostile work environment?

What's interesting about this situation is the same guys who scream about how important it is to have 4 FF per rig for safety would scream even louder if that fourth person was a vollie. I guess 1710 should be rewritten to say that each engine or truck should have 4 dues paying IAFF members for minimum staffing.

[jcasey]

Here's a thought. A two step pay. Tell the city you'll take so much per hour on station and for certain admin/pr functions, but when your on a call, it goes up to whatever but... They have to match the staffing level that is safe. Everyone can keep their job, staffing is good, the city saves money (you do belive in saving taxpayer money?)and both sides take a little hit and a pat on the back. While I am not a union member, I do belive the city managment has no clue what this job takes and you have to REALLY point that out to the bean counters. On the flip side,as firefighters, you have no idea what it takes to run the whole city. Both sides can look, think and play outside that silly little US vs THEM box and come out with what is needed for the department to best serve the people. You know, the whole reason Us, and THEM do what we do.

[FyredUp]

jcasey...

You are kidding right?

This idea is filled with problems. Different pay categories that would flip on and off during the day? How do you classify training? Is that a different pay schedule? How about PR events? This would take marathon negotiations to make work and then the obvious disputes over when the actual emergency ended and then non-emergent activities took over.

Nope I for one vote this idea down with both thumbs. Could you imagine trying to implement this with the police? Of course not...

Of course I believe in providing the citizens a cost effective service. But I also believe it is the citizen's and the municipality's job to provide me with fair compensation for the task of being a firefighter.

FyredUp