Huntington Fire Chief's Greg Fuller's Febuary 6, 2001 Memo
To Mayor Felinton Regarding Budget Cuts

 

CITY OF OFFICE OF THE FIRE CHIEF
HUNTINGTON 839 Seventh Avenue. P.0 Box 1659. Zip 25717
WEST VIRGINIA Phone (304) 696-5950

MEMORANDUM

TO:Mayor David Felinton

FROM: Greg Fuller, Fire Chief

DATE: February 6) 2001

SUBJECT: Budget Cuts

In response to Mr. Thomburgh's memorandum of February 2nd, the following is a concise overview of the effects of 10%, 20% and 30% budget reductions in the Fire Department for the remainder of the fiscal year beginning with a general review of our current situation.

We made significant reductions in our operation last August that curtailed fire prevention and other important activities in our department. These components of our service delivery were cut from an already austere budget. Additionally, since 1985, we have reduced our sworn force from 154 to 118 positions; at the end of February, I project that we will be down to 103 sworn positions or 13 short of our original budgeted strength for this fiscal year. Previously two fire stations and three engine companies were trimmed from the Department. Our civilian staff was reduced from four to one; that employee currently handles all clerical and many administrative matters including payroll. The fire alarm headquarters was combined with the 911 dispatch center, the Fire Department garage was closed and the delivery of emergency medical services (excepting first response) is now provided by the county.

Through December, with 50% of the fiscal year passed, we have absorbed the previous budget reductions and the increased costs of group insurance and fuel by curtailing spending in the other areas of our budget. Our department was exactly on target with a 50% total expenditure at that point. We have already reduced our material purchases to essential supplies and safety equipment.

Currently we enjoy a productive, mutually beneficial, ~working relationship with the Huntington Professional Firefighter's Association, IAFF Local #289. That contract is in full force and effect until midnight, December 31. 2003, and requires minimum staffing of a minimum number of apparatus. Any further reductions in our budget at any level will require a suspension in whole or part of that agreement.

The City of Huntington also enjoys a Class Two Insurance Services Office rating. We were the first city in the state to obtain this distinction and currently only Charleston shares this rating with us. Additional reductions in personnel will produce a somewhat proportional decrease in our rating.


Mayor Felinton
Budget Cuts
02-06-01

The most critical issue associated with personnel reductions will be the need to restructure our operational paradigms to a significantly more defensive posture to provide some level of safety for the remaining personnel. This, by nature of the required corresponding shift in fire attack tactics and strategy, will result in an increase in large property loss fires and a less effective early rescue effort. Again, the degree of required paradigm shift would, up to a certain point, correspond to the percentage of reduction.

The total Fire Department Budget for FY 00-01 is $8,127,928. March 1st through June
30th constitutes one-third of the year, therefore a 10% reduction would be $270,930, a
20% reduction would be $541,862 and a 30% reduction would be $812,792.

West Virginia State Code dictates the method of reduction in personnel starting with the least senior member of the Department. The approximate annual compensation of our least senior sworn firefighter is $21,748. The amount of benefits and associated costs is approximately 42%. Therefore, the cost of this firefighter for a full fiscal year is approximately $30,882. One-third of that amount is $10,294. Unemployment benefits for a four-month period are approximately $3,680, bringing the net realization from the layoff for the period in question to approximately $6,614. Utilizing this calculation a 10% budget reduction for the remainder of the fiscal year would require reducing the workforce by 41 firefighters. In the absence of the IAFF contract there are some dynamic staffing situations that I feel could be utilized to decrease the number of personnel reduced to achieve a 10% reduction to approximately 20. Accordingly however, a 20% reduction would require the reduction of 61 personnel and constitute the need for a complete reorganization and overhaul of our method of service delivery. A 30% reduction would, in my opinion, constitute the need for a complete shut down of our operations, as we would have only a handful of remaining personnel. The figures are approximations as reduction of more senior firefighters correspondingly increases the realized net due to higher pay rates.

I sincerely hope that additional funding can be secured that will prevent any reductions in our Fire Department. I have attached for your review a copy of our budget reduction memorandum for August and a list of ideas that may reduce costs and/or generate income. I respectfully await your further direction regarding this matter.

GMF

attachment: 4 pages

c: Mr. Jack Thornburgh, Director of Administration & Finance