Those who aspire to be ‘full-time? firefighters may work a lot of extra time without qualifying for overtime pay.
That revelation came as the Springfield Township Board last week worked to clarify fire department job description and department policy details.
The township board previously approved two new full-time positions on the fire department to better cover day shift emergencies and to provide support for Fire Chief Charlie Oaks (up to now the only full-time employee of the fire department).
The issue of overtime was raised when trustees saw a provision that the new full-timers may also respond to emergencies outside their normal shift hours, functioning in the same ‘paid-on-call? status as current firefighters.
Supervisor Collin Walls said federal law says such firefighters would have to work 53 hours a week before qualifying for time-and-a-half pay.
‘The probability of those individuals working that amount of time is pretty remote unless we have a major problem and we need all the bodies we can get,? Walls said.
Oaks, who is salaried, said he responds to 95 percent of all fire department calls ? including those outside his regular shift ? but rarely compiles an inordinate number of hours per week.
Walls said he is confident that Oaks would be aware of any potential abuse of the system.
‘He’s the only guy in the township I know who’s more conservative than I am, and I presume he would be watching that like a hawk.?
Treasurer Jamie Dubre said she suggested revisions to make the new job description similar in structure to other township job descriptions. That led to some discussion of where various duties and explanations should be.
For example, Trustee Dean Baker noted a clause under ‘General Responsibilities? that reads, ‘A firefighter is subject to the hazards encountered in emergency fire and rescue operations, including the physical and mental stress.?
Baker suggested that sentence would be more appropriate in the ‘Work Environment? category.
Trustees also questioned language requiring firefighters to hold an ‘unrestricted? Michigan driver license. The intent is to ensure a clean driving record, but some believed it could be misconstrued to prevent ‘restrictions? such as corrective lenses.
Firefighters are not required to have special endorsements such as a commercial driver license, Oaks said, but are required to take yearly training in driving fire vehicles.
In addition, Oaks said the Michigan State Police has a program in which they notify fire chiefs if one of their firefighters compiles two or points on their driver licenses.
Oaks has posted the open job positions, and hopes to have new full-time firefighters hired sometime in January.