Fw: EMSNEWS Digest - 29 Dec 2001 to 30 Dec 2001 (#2001-267)

[Guest guest]

TX - Firefighters leery of promotion

>

> Ed Note: More pending recruitment and retainment issues

>

> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

>

http://www.caller.com/ccct/local_news/article/0,1641,CCCT_811_924843,00.html

>

> Firefighters leery of promotion

>

> Although workload increases, benefits and salary don't

>

> By Moreno

>

> It might be a promotion, but lately few in the Corpus Christi Fire

> Department want it.

> For the sixth time this year, the city tried to give a promotional test

for

> the firefighter II-paramedic rank and although there were 14 openings,

only

> one firefighter signed up.

>

> And those who have earned the promotion are often giving it back after

five

> years, the length of time they're required to keep it to qualify for

> promotions to captain and firefighter II-engineer, forcing less

experienced

> firefighters to answer the city's medical emergencies.

>

> The cause of the mass disinterest among firefighters in the rank of

> firefighter II-paramedic is that while the promotion greatly increases the

> workload, it doesn't do the same for the salary and benefits, said

> firefighters and union officials.

>

> " I think there are several factors that play into people not registering,

> including wages and call volume, " said , president of the

> Corpus Christi Firefighters Association.

>

> " If we had more ambulances and more incentives the position would be more

> attractive to people. "

>

> A firefighter II-paramedic is primarily responsible for working on an

> ambulance but also works shifts on the fire truck.

>

> The rank also allows firefighters to act as fire truck engineer, or driver

> and captain. And a firefighter has to earn the rank before being promoted

to

> captain or firefighter II-engineer.

>

> A firefighter I is the lowest rank other than trainee and is assigned

> primarily to working on a fire truck.

>

> But with the current shortage in firefighter II-paramedics, more

firefighter

> Is, usually the rookies, have to ride the box, or ambulance. On Friday,

half

> of the 14 firefighters on the city's ambulances were firefighter Is.

>

> Assistant Fire Chief Eloy Ceballos said his shift is short five

firefighter

> II-paramedics. The recently graduated firefighters have kept the

ambulances

> staffed, he said.

>

> " We depend on the rookies, the guys who just got out, " he said. " Without

> those rookies, I'd have about three that I could use on the medics besides

> the regular guys. "

>

> A newly promoted firefighter II-paramedic earns $3,147 a month and tops

out

> at $3,282 a month after 2 1/2 years, while the most a firefighter I can

make

> is $3113 a month, according to the firefighters' latest contract with the

> city.

>

> Firefighters who are certified paramedics also get $75 a month as

> compensation for their certification. Firefighter II-paramedics also get

$50

> a month for riding the ambulance.

>

> The pay for riding the ambulance increases to $100 a month after five

years

> and $150 a month after 10 years.

>

> Still, that's not enough to incite firefighters to seek a promotion.

>

> " Nobody wants it, " said Firefighter II-Paramedic Krupa, who is

> thinking of taking a demotion in a year to get off the ambulance.

>

> The city first tried to give the promotional test for the latest batch of

> firefighter II-paramedic openings in March. Then there were six openings

and

> five firefighters signed up.

>

> But because civil service rules require three firefighters to sign up for

> every opening, the test was cancelled, said Joann Espinoza of the city's

> human resources department.

>

> Since then, the city has offered the promotional test five more times and

> the openings have increased while interest has decreased.

>

> At Fire Station No. 10 where Krupa works, in a typical day paramedics will

> answer 15 to 18 calls, with most calls keeping the firefighters on the

> street for an hour.

>

> The firefighters on the fire truck there, meanwhile, will answer roughly

as

> many calls.

>

> On Tuesday, Krupa said the ambulance had fewer calls, only 13, but five

came

> after midnight meaning he and his partner got about two hours of sleep.

>

> So although taking the demotion will mean roughly the loss of $219 a

month,

> Krupa said it is worth it.

>

> With him will go nearly six years of ambulance experience - experience

that

> has made him more efficient in treating patients, he said.

>

> " If you've seen (the patients) so many times, you know they have a back

> problem, or that they're a dialysis patient, " Krupa said. " Experience

counts

> for something. "

>

> Another reason why firefighter Is are reluctant to seek promotions is

> because they can make more money riding the ambulance as firefighter Is

than

> as firefighter II-paramedics.

>

> A firefighter I earns $18 extra each shift worked on an ambulance and $50

> more a month if he or she works two shifts on the ambulance in a month.

>

> " Why should they promote when they're already on the ambulance? " said

> Firefighter I Matt Bitoni.

>

> " They make more money if they don't promote and act. "

>

> said firefighters are seeking higher incentive pay for riding the

> ambulance in the current contract negotiations.

>

> Firefighters are seeking a six-percent pay increase package on a one-year

> contract. But the negotiations with the city have stalled.

>

> " There's just not enough incentive to want to ride on the ambulance, "

> said.

>

> " We're trying to fix it with the contract. "

>

>

> ****************************************************

> M. Maniscalco

> p.maniscalco.1@...

> ****************************************************

>

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>

> End of EMSNEWS Digest - 29 Dec 2001 to 30 Dec 2001 (#2001-267)

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