2010 safer

[islandfire03]

For Safer can 3 fire departments some how work together for a R&R grant to maybe help our chances of getting funded due to more bang for the buck? If so how would it work or how should I present it to SAFER?

Yes in the PG it says a regional R+R approach to benefit more than one dept can be done.
I'll find the page #

Page 13 paragraph "H" cant cut & paste from pdf

[islandfire03]

interesting to note in this years PG:
a rehire is only 2 years and no requirement to maintain the position after. yet a new hire is two plus one year on your tax $$ plus have to maintain hire levels if there are retirements etc..
Highest priorities are rehiring laid off or soon to be laid off career positions.
Short term fixes for bankrupt cities & towns.

[volfireman034]

For Safer can 3 fire departments some how work together for a R&R grant to maybe help our chances of getting funded due to more bang for the buck? If so how would it work or how should I present it to SAFER?

[LVFD301]

In my opinion--hourly wage for station duty would be part-time, whether on a 1099 or W-2. Fixed dollar for a run or training without regard to the time involved would be paid-on-call.

LVFD--possible retention project for you might be to add some life and accident benefit, especially short term disability payments, to the state minimum if those are real numbers. The difference in cost from what you have to real livable income should be an eligible SAFER expense and a real benefit to your members and their families. Getting the first 4 years funded will allow time to figure out how to budget/fundraise specifically for that one item. Not a little thing, but more affordable than most would think. Just a thought!!

earl

That is something we are looking at. This time I am NOT going for a large regional, maybe
just a couple of departments. Trying to get everyone on the same page, information from everyone, etc, was like herding cats, and I am simply not going to do it again.

13 departments was way too much.

IMHO on the other, if you are hourly in any way, then you are part time. If all you get is a set fee every call or training, no matter how long, than it is a stipend. I just wish I knew for sure what FEMA says, and it is tough getting an answer from them also.

[Greenacres2]

In my opinion--hourly wage for station duty would be part-time, whether on a 1099 or W-2. Fixed dollar for a run or training without regard to the time involved would be paid-on-call.

LVFD--possible retention project for you might be to add some life and accident benefit, especially short term disability payments, to the state minimum if those are real numbers. The difference in cost from what you have to real livable income should be an eligible SAFER expense and a real benefit to your members and their families. Getting the first 4 years funded will allow time to figure out how to budget/fundraise specifically for that one item. Not a little thing, but more affordable than most would think. Just a thought!!

earl

[LVFD301]

Then I guess my question boils down to what is the difference between pay and a stipend.

My gut is telling me if you get a set fee for the call, no matter how long it lasts, or a set fee for each training you are required to attend, then it is a stipend.

If you get houly it is paid.

The second department I mentioned insists they are volunteer, due to the low amount of pay (minimum wage for a new firefighter) and because they pay 1099.

[onebugle]

That makes sense, but where is FEMA going to draw that line. In Missouri volunteer departments are required to have workmens comp - even though the pay is 0. It pays your medical bills and 35 or 40 bucks a week.

If a department pays minimum wage, does it on a 1099 so no deductions (as you would pay a contractor), provides workmens comp, and does that pay on an hourly basis instead of per run, would FEMA consider them volunteer or paid?

From the PG:

Volunteer Fire Department: An agency or organization in which no member receives financial compensation (in the form of salary or wages) for their services other than life and health insurance, workers’ compensation insurance and/or stipend per call. We consider a department to be “mostly volunteer” if more than 50 percent of its membership is made up of personnel who do not receive financial compensation for their services.

The Missouri departments would still be volunteer based on the workman's comp.

The other case would be considered paid as the hourly rate would be considered salary.

[LVFD301]

That makes sense, but where is FEMA going to draw that line. In Missouri volunteer departments are required to have workmens comp - even though the pay is 0. It pays your medical bills and 35 or 40 bucks a week.

If a department pays minimum wage, does it on a 1099 so no deductions (as you would pay a contractor), provides workmens comp, and does that pay on an hourly basis instead of per run, would FEMA consider them volunteer or paid?

[onebugle]

What is the difference between part time and paid a stipend?

From the PG:

14. Paid-on-Call: Firefighters who receive a payment or stipend only when involved in an incident or mandatory operational activity. A department
whose membership is comprised of Paid-on-Call firefighters is considered a “combination fire department – mostly volunteer” for the purposes of this SAFER program.

15. Part-time Firefighter: A firefighter who works less than 40 hours per week is considered a part-time firefighter. When more than one part-time firefighter shares a position that results in work in excess of 40 hours per week, we consider that shared assignment to be a full-time equivalent (FTE) position that must be accounted for in the staffing information provided in the application.

[PaladinKnight]

The level of Burden Perhaps; workers comp, withholding, unemployment, etc...

[LVFD301]

What is the difference between part time and paid a stipend?

[LVFD301]

Read the PG carefully as there are a number of changes this year compared to 2009. The Hiring section has 4 priorities within that catergory with Hiring the lowest priority. Probably the most significant change is with the narrative setup for both hiring & R&R.

I see a REALLY big change. In addition to the purchase of up to 4 sets of turnouts for training, it allows you to outfit your new recruits in R&R with turnouts after they have completed FF1 and the NFPA physical!

This is really a good thing!

[mwtetreault]

Safer

How is it that a program origionally designed to add firefighters is now evolved to the point where hiring new firefighters is the 4th priority?
Mark

[onebugle]

Read the PG carefully as there are a number of changes this year compared to 2009. The Hiring section has 4 priorities within that catergory with Hiring the lowest priority. Probably the most significant change is with the narrative setup for both hiring & R&R.

[volfireman034]

Well I guess I'll try again since I got my DJ last week. Still not exactly sure what I did wrong but I'll look it over.