Minutes 03/23/1976 - Laserfiche WebLink

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327 March 25, 1976 "I have been requested to review and analyze the assignment out of classification within the Fire Department which has been more recently referred to as working out of classi- fication. In order to clarify this concept in the beginning, I would like to point out that assignment out of classification is the item that is being agreed by the Fire Department rather than the working out of classification. Through discussions in our ~'~eet and Discuss' procedure, there has been acknowledgment on their part that they expect to work out of classification during periods of sick leave, annual leave and military leave. However, they object to being assigned out of classification when they report for a tour of duty. Prior to August $, 1973, platoon-assigned personnel of the firefighting division within the Portsmoutk Fire Department worked a basic 2-platoon duty schedule [each platoon duty of 24-hour duration) which was supplemented by a S-group ~Kelly day~ system providing balance~ and predesignated groups of personnel and additional 24-hour tour off in each S normally on-duty schedule. Undsr this arrangement the average work week for the platoon-assigned personnel was 67.4 hours. Representatives of the Fire Department actively sought a reduction of this average work week to 56 hours and at the beginning of the 1973-74 fiscal year reduction in the average work week to 56 hours was authorized. In accomplishing a 56-hour work week, there was the elimination of 2 engine companies plus the Srd fire response district with correspond i~greduction of Battalion Chief, Captain and Lieutenant positions then incorporated within these organizations being eliminated. At the same time that the levels of officership were reduced, which was achieved through attrition, there was an increas~ in the authorization of 15 Private positions. The effect of this change provided implementation of an average S6-hour work week to replace a 2-platoon duty schedule supplemented by a S-group mKelty Day' system providing the then established personnel assignment to each of the 1S companies. However, prior to the~imp~mentation of the 56-hour work week system, it was requested by the Firs Department that they be allowed to institute the present S-platoon duty system in lieu of the 2-platoon duty system. This request was authorized by the City ~{anager to reduce the average work week to 56 hours average on August 3, 1973 provided it was accomplished within the assigned personnel authorized at that time. To retain the present S-platoon duty schedule and bring the Fire Department personnel into complian~ with the class specifications, it would be necessary to establish 15 additions Lieutenant positions and 1S additional Captain positions. This request was made by the Manage of the Fire Department in the 1974 and 1975 budget submissions. However, due to the austerit~ measures that have been strictly adhered to by the City, it was economically infeasible to authorize the additional positions for the fiscal years. The estimated cost of this authoriz tion would be approximately ~42,120 annually. This problem has been discussed with the committee of the Fire Department through the ~Meet and Discuss' procedure. In addition, I have d~scussed with the Fire Chief a return to the 2-platoon, S-group ~'Kelly Day' system which would eliminate some of the assignment out of classification within the Fire Department. It would be my recommendation that effective ~M~y schedule be replaced by implementation of a 2-platoon, t2', 1976, the present S-platoon duty S-group 'Kelly Day' system [it is noted that under the present S-platoon system a 6S-day cycle is necessary in order to average a 56-hour work week). The implementation of the 2-platoon system would only require 42 days average cycling to average a 56-hour work week. The reason I have selected the date of ~a¥: 12, 1976, is that this is the closest starting date that such a regularly recurring cycle can be instituted to insure that no personnel in the Fire Department has worked more or less than the 56 hours per week during the current fiscal year. The proposed 2-platoon, S-group ~Kelly Day' system will provide assignment of both a Captain and a Lieutenant within the total assigned personnel complement of each fire company of each of the 2 platoons performing within the descriptions of their class specifications. The implementation of platoon-assigned personnel upon the basis of a 2-platoon, S-group 'Kell' Day' system ~s the same organization used prior to August S, 197S, with only a narrowing of scheduled 'off-duty groups' of personnel. That is, in the former S-group system, one- fifth of the regularly assigned personnel were off-duty each and every 24-hour platoon period, and under the S-group system proposed one-third of regularly assigned personnel will be scheduled off-duty each and every 24-hour period. The Fire Chief has indicated that in normal operation without periods of unfilled position vacancies or leave utilization of presently available Battalion Chiefs will allow two such officsrs [one for each platoon) to perform as ~floaters* within Fire District 1 and 2 thereby scheduling a district commanding officer on duty each 24-hour platoon period. ' The same review will also show that in the 1S fire companies comprising both districts, only 10 Captains and 10 Lieutenants are scheduled on-duty each 24-hour platoon period in normal operation without periods of unfilled position vacancies or leave time. However, there are no additional Captain or Lieutenant positions available as 'floaters~ to compensate in any degree for off-duty group scheduling for such positions, periods of unfilled position vacancies or leave administration. Such occurrences as noted will continue unless authorizati~ of additional Captain and Lieutenant positions are established to serve as 'floaters' within each of the 2 platoons. Based on the above, it is my recommendation that 4 additlonal Captain positions and 4 additional Lieutenant positions be established to serve as 'floater~,~,Their normal assignmen will be at the rate of 2 positions to each of the 2 platoons. It is my understanding through discussions with the Fire Chief that the use of the available Battalion Chiefs as ~floaters· and the authorization of 4 additional Captains and Lieutenants as ~floaters,, will provide him with the necessary rank to implement the 2-platoon, 3-group 'Kelly Day' system without