don't Get Sick when B-Shift is Working
Posted by:
Dig-Dug
()
Date: November 28, 2010 04:06PM
Areas with high call volumes are without ambulances....
Brothers and Sisters:
On Saturday, November 20, with B-shift on duty, Fire and Rescue Department management decided to place Ambulance 408 and 409 out-of-service due to a lack of staffing. Ambulance 409 was to be out-of-service until 1900 hours, while Ambulance 408 was to be out-of-service for 24 hours. Additionally, Medic 408 and Medic 409 were reduced from a PTU, with an ALS certified Officer and a total of two ALS providers, to a 1 and 1 unit with no officer and one ALS provider.
When I found out about this, I made phone calls to B-shift DFC Chuck Ryan and the Operations AFC John Caussin to ask why this was happening. In particular, the question that I raised was whether or not all options have been exhausted prior to units being placed out-of-service. I was assured by both DFC Ryan and AFC Caussin that all options were exhausted as dictated in SOP 02.01.01. I was told that the callback list was exhausted and OPS406 sent out several pages and made many calls looking for personnel to come in and work, without success. In addition to questioning the options being exhausted, I inquired with DFC Ryan and AFC Caussin as to why personnel were not being held or recalled in an effort to keeping units in service. I was told that they did not want to impact personnel with being held over or being recalled because it was the weekend and they were trying to be "employee friendly."
Soon after speaking with them, I contacted Communications Director Joel Kobersteen to put out emails to the membership and a page to the Executive Board in an effort to see if members would be willing to come in and work in order to place these units back in service. Ambulance 408 went back in service at 1900 hours along with Ambulance 409, and both Medic 408 and Medic 409 returned to PTU status at 1900.
Brothers and sisters, in essence the department implemented a self-directed "brown out" on Saturday, November 20. Although the union is not here to tell management how to run the department, we, as a union, are telling management to follow their own rules and SOP’s - this time with staffing. Those not in management positions of the FRD must follow established SOP’s on a daily basis and so must management. On Tuesday, November 23, the Local 2068 Executive Board unanimously passed a motion that the department enforce their own rules and policies. For the record, staffing should not be treated any differently than any other policy.
That having been said, I was assured by AFC Caussin that this practice would cease and, if necessary, FRD personnel will be held and recalled in accordance with SOP 02.01.01.
Please keep in mind is that we cannot allow units to placed out of service due to convenience. What do I mean? We as a membership can't say that it is okay to place Medic 409 or Engine 421 out-of-service because we don't want to hold anyone over - but when the county or management wants to reduce transport units, rescue squads, or specialty support functions because of the budget - we want to beat our drums loudly and tell that public that they cannot do that. You can't say one day that's it's okay for units to be placed out-of-service due to staffing, but on another day we're trying to justify why units should be in service to the Board of Supervisors or the public. Brothers and sisters, this can't be about convenience. Solidarity means 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Let's not start or add to units being allowed to be "browned out."
Fraternally,
John Niemiec
President