Huntington Fire Chief's Greg Fuller's August 3, 2000 Memo
To Deputy Chiefs Regarding Budget Cuts

 

 

839 Seventh Avenue. P.O. Box 1659. Zip 25717
Phone (304) 696-5950
WEST VIRGINIA

MEMORANDUM
TO: Deputy Chiefs
FROM: Greg Fuller, Fire Chief
DATE: August 3, 2000
SUBJECT: Budget Reduction Actions

Due to recent reduction in the Fire Department Budget as a result of a medical insurance assessment designed to stabilize our health insurance program, the following actions are necessary to ensure our continued ability to deliver emergency services:

1. Effective August 26, 2000, at 0700 hours, firefighters now assigned as deputy fire marshals will be assigned to line duty (FF Ellis' reassignment will be effective September 14, 2000 at 0700 hours, upon his return from training.) Shift deputy fire marshals will remain on their assigned shifts unless later transferred by their respective deputy chief. FF Hartz will be assigned to B shift on the effective date.

2. Captain G. L. Johnson will remain assigned as City Fire Marshal and will continue to complete plans review, occupancy inspections and other priority activities of the Bureau pending funding restoration. Deputy Chiefs will assign a firefighter to the Bureau on days when minimum contractual line staffing is achieved and an additional firefighter is available. Deputy Chiefs will also need to take greater responsibility in fire cause and origin determination and assure that the Police department and/or State Fire Marshal's Office is notified when appropriate. Other fire prevention, public education and normal bureau activities and programs are suspended and will be deferred pending funding restoration.

3. Lieutenant J. H. Sheets is assigned to C shift effective August 26, 2000, at
0700 hours. Staff work normally handled by Lieutenant Sheets is to be forwarded to my second tier box for handling or reassignment.

4. Until further notice the LogistiCs Officer position will remain unfilled. Deputy Chief Woodall will Coordinate the duties of that position.


August 3, 2000 Page Two

5. All outside travel and training is suspended, excepting extreme cases expressly approved by me.

6. Captain Adkins will presently remain assigned as the Training/Safety Officer and will coordinate and affect required, essential training and safety activities of the Department with a minimum movement of apparatus and other activities that may create expense. Training expenditures are suspended, excepting legally required apprenticeship materials.

7. All non-essential movement of all fire apparatus and emergency vehicles is suspended effective August 14, 2000, at 0700 hours. This includes training, tours and company inspection activities unless specifically required by the training officer and approved by the deputy chief. Apparatus movement is to be generally limited to emergency response and required maintenance/fueling activities. Other programs or non-emergency activities requiring apparatus movement are suspended.

8. Effective August 14, 2000, at 0700 hours no fire department employee (including myself) will be assigned a 'take home' vehicle. All vehicles are to be pooled at Centennial Station and the deputy chiefs will establish a keyboard system for themselves and staff. The use of city owned vehicles is to be strictly limited to necessary, essential city business.

9. Future vacation approval for line civil service category employees (deputy chiefs) is suspended pending further notice. I will seek general carry-aver approval from the Mayor.

10. All non-essential purchasing continues to be suspended. All projects funded from the general fire department budget are suspended. The purchase of essential firefighter safety gear and personal protective equipment is to continue. Turnout gear is to be ordered as personnel are hired and the replacement needs determined by past audits are to be met at the rate of one complete set of gear per month.

11. Six firefighter positions currently open will remain so, likely through the remainder of the current fiscal year.

12. All petty cash expenditures for the remainder of the fiscal year must be of an essential nature and require the approval of a chief officer prior to the expenditure.


August 3, 2000 Page Three

13. All future dues and publications expenditures are suspended for the remainder of the fiscal year.

While this situation makes it necessary to defer many components of the fire prevention program and other, activities and programs until such time as full funding can be restored, the delivery of emergency services will be unaffected. We will continue to provide high-quality service around the clock and fully honor the Wage and Benefit Agreement between the City of Huntington and the Huntington Professional Firefighters Association, IAFF Local #289. With our present situation, all currently employed personnel will remain employed and we will continue to provide necessary safety gear and personal protective equipment.

Please work hard to help control costs in all areas of our operation and strive to maintain functionality of all essential building systems at our stations. We will attempt to seek alternative funding as necessary to ensure our future stability.

I am confident that our future is bright and with eventual funding restoration we will make forward progress on the programs, projects and activities affected by this action. Thank you in advance for your extra effort and continued support of our important mission.

GMF

Mayor Jean Dean
Dave Harrington, Director of Finance & Administration
Glenn White, Director of Finance
Captain G. L. Johnson, Fire Marshal
Captain L. L. Adkins, Training/Safety Officer
Lieutenant J. H. Sheets, Staff Officer
Kelly L. Hearn, Administrative Assistant