Public Protection & Safety Standing Committee of the RTM Special Meeting Materials (linked)

DRAFT #4 ~HIGHLIGHTED VERSION — AFTER JULY 21, 2020 PUBLIC HEARING
Title 2— ADMINISTRATION AND PERSONNEL
Chapter 2.36 — FIRE SERVICE
2.36.080 — Volunteer Firefighters and Fire Police Incentive Program
A. Purpose
Pursuant to § 7-148(c)(4)(B) of the Connecticut General Statutes, the Town of Waterford
may enact an ordinance to organize, maintain and regulate the persons providing fire
protection. This Volunteer Firefighters and Fire Police Incentive Program is designed to
provide monetary compensation to active, volunteer firefighters and fire police members
in the Town of Waterford Fire Department, in an effort to assist in covering volunteers’
expenses during the execution of their duti hile complying with the federal Fair
Labor Standards Act of 1938 as amended; 29°U.S.C. §201 et seq. (“FLSA”). The FLSA
permits payments for reimbursement of: xpénses, reasonable benefits and nominal fees
to volunteers without impairing their sta’ s volunteers. These benefits are in addition
to the existing property tax abatement program for volunteer firefighters in Title 3,
Chapter 3.12 of this Code of Ordinances. T m ‘ford Fire Department personnel
employed by the Town of Waterford are not eligi or this Volunteer F irefighters and
Fire Police Incentive Program.
B. Definitions
1. Prog
the Volunteer Firefighters and Fire Police Incentive
Program.
2. Program Year:
Program Year is thé | year, i.e’, July 1-June 30.
3. Implementation Date:
The Implementation Date of the Program is July 1, 20201.
4, Volunteer Member in Good Standing in the Waterford Fire Department:
A Volunteer Member in Good Standing is defined as:
a. A certified firefighter (i.e., State of Connecticut Firefighter | or higher) who
has participated in the minimum training sessions designated by the
Director of Fire Services and including, but not limited to Required Training
(as set forth in paragraph B8), by June 30 of the year preceding the year
of eligibility (e.g., complete training by June 30, 2020 to be eligible for the
Program for the fiscal year July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021, absent a
1 Depending on the date of enactment of this Ordinance, the Implementation Date may be retroactive to July 1,
2020.
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modification of the June 30 date by the Director of Fire Services on an
individual basis pursuant to paragraph B8); and/or
b. A member of the Fire Police who has participated in the minimum training
sessions designated by the Director of Fire Services and, including but
not limited to, Required Training (as set forth in Paragraph B8 d), by June
30 of the year preceding the year of eligibility (e.g., complete training by
June 30, 2020 to be eligible for the Program for the fiscal year July 1,
2020-June 30, 2021, absent a modification of the June 30 date by the
Director of Fire Services on an individual basis pursuant to paragraph
B8); and who has been sworn in by the.£6
Standing who, during the year of eligibility, has firefighter Anza minimum number
of approved training drills and maintains the minimum training rec lirements as set
‘ire Services. ;
d who maintains the minimum training
‘Fire Services.
been sworn in by the Town Clerk: <
requirements as set forth by.the Direct
Approved Training Drill:
An Approved Training Drill is %
ed in advance by the D
he Town’s Insurance Servic:
aterford Fire Department level drill that is
tor of Fire Services and will result in credit
ganization, Fire Protection Classification
quired Train g i is State and Federal minimum requirements to function at
s. These requirements shall include, but are not limited to, the
ionsiand re-certifications along with the approved training drills. The
ervices maintains the discretion, upon a showing of good cause
to excuse temporarily and/or until a date certain, the absence of
tions, re-certifications and/or approved training drills.
Training shall include, but is not limited to, the following titles and substantive
content (training titles and reference numbers may change from time to time):
a. Minimum Certifications:
State of Connecticut Firefighter |
Hazardous Materials — Operational Level
iS-700: National Incident Management System
ICS-100: Introduction to the Incident Command System
ICS-200: ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents
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b. Mandatory Training:
Attend routine training drills (Monthly)
OSHA Mandates
- Haz-Mat Operational Refresher
- Incident Command System Refresher
- Live Fire Training (Annual)
- Blood-borne Pathogens
- SCBA refresher ,
- Routine Fit Testing
- CPR Certification
Cc. Certified Fire Officer Requirements (Additional):
State of Connecticut Fire Officer 1”
1S-800: National Response Framework
ICS-300: Intermediate ICSfor Expanding Incidents
1CS-400: Advanced ICS-for:Gommand and General Staff
d. Fire Police Requirement:
Hazardous Materials — Awareness
|S-700: National Incident Manage
ICS-100: Introduction to the Incid
9. Stipend:
A Stipend i is.an amount of money awarded to
ef forth below and as may be
time, by the Director of Fire Services.
10. Point:
tion by an Active Volunteer Firefighter or Active Fire
/ fire response or Approved Training Drills as
receive a Point, an Active Volunteer Firefighter or
r must actually attend an incident and/or respond to
and arrive at an activated?station before the Incident Commander dismisses the
assignment and/or attend:and complete Approved Training Drills. Individuals
serving as volunteers or employees of the Waterford Ambuiance Service
when attending and/or responding to a particular incident will not receive
Points related to that incident.
Active Fire Police m
11. Incident Commander:
The Incident Commander sets priorities and defines the Incident Command
System organization for the particular response and is responsible for the safety,
accountability, and welfare of personnel through an incident.
Cc. Program Components
1. Stipend Schedule:
Active Volunteer Firefighters and Fire Police members who meet the criteria set
forth below are eligible for Stipends issued on a quarterly basis as follows:
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First Quarter = July through September {issued in October)
Second Quarter = October through December (Issued in January)
Third Quarter = January through March (Issued in April)
Fourth Quarter April through June (issued in July)
Reporting Requirements:
a. An incident report shall be generated and completed for every
dispatched incident.
b. All Active Volunteer Firefighters and Active Volunteer Fire Police
members must sign the report within 15 minutes of the last vehicle
returning to the station at the termination of the event.
c
of the incident.
d. Anyone documenting ano! riember’s name on the report shall
initial next to that entry
e. Attendance records shall be. orded and maintained on the
_... Town’s approved records management software.
f. ‘The:Director of Fire Services or his/her designee shall prepare the
g. ly reports will be reviewed and approved by the Director
es prior to the approval of issuance of quarterly
h. ire Services shail also submit quarterly
he RTM on the status of the program.
Stipend Eligibility and Amount:
An Active Volunteer Firefighter or Active Volunteer Fire Police member shall not
receive any Stipend until receiving a minimum of fifty (50) Points during that fiscal
year. The Active Volunteer Firefighter or Active Volunteer Fire Police member will
then be provided a Stipend at the rate of $7 for each prior and subsequent Point
earned during that fiscal year (e.g., an Active Volunteer Firefighter who has 55
Points will receive $385; an Active Volunteer Firefighter with 20 Points will receive
$0). The Director of Fire Services may propose changes to the
mandatory/minimum eligibility criteria, Point value (increase or decrease), Stipend
rate or amount (increase or decrease) to the RTM, which may act on such
proposed changes by majority vote. As part of its determination, the RTM must
evaluate continued compliance with the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
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4. Discretionary Decisions on Awarding of Points:
The Director of Fire Services, in the exercise of his/her discretion, will decide any
disputes regarding the awarding of Points under paragraph B 10. The Director of
Fire Services, in the exercise of his/her discretion, also may award Points for
reasons other than those expressly set forth in paragraph B 10. These decisions
shall be documented in the quarterly report.
5. Higher Level of Training Stipend:
An Active Volunteer Firefighter who receives at least 50 Points during a fiscal year
and who is also a Certified Fire Officer and meets all the additional requirernents
outlined above (i.e., State of Connecticut Fire Officer I; 1S-800: National Response
Framework, ICS-300: Intermediate ICS Expanding Incidents; ICS-400:
Advanced ICS for Command and Genera tatf), will receive an additional $150 on
an annual basis in recognition of his/hec:high evel of training. This $150 stipend
will be issued at the same time as the stipend forthe.initial 50 Points. The Director
of Fire Services may propose changes to the Highér.Level of Training Stipend
amount (increase or decrease) to the RTM, which may, act on such proposed
changes by majority vote.
6. Ineligibility Due to Misconduct or Separation from ‘Waterford Fire
Department:
This ordinance incorpe
Policy 103 - Disciplinary
amended from time to ti
es by. jures, 28 | the Waterford Fire Department
r Firefighter or Active Volunteer Fire Police member who is
unteer service by the Town of Waterford immediately forfeits
eligible for any Stipend. The Director of Fire Services and
es Director shall evaluate and determine, in their discretion,
La Stipend of an Active Volunteer Firefighter or Active Volunteer
Fire Police member who voluntarily separated from volunteer service as of the
end of a quarter.
D. Funding and Administration
1. Funding:
Through its normal, annual budget process, the Town shall determine whether or
not to fund the Program and, if so, in what amount.
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Any portion of the annual appropriation not expended during a fiscal year does
not carry over to the next fiscal year.
Should the total expenses for the Program exceed the annual appropriation, then
the quarterly Stipends for the then-current quarter will be prorated to reflect the
total amount available for distribution for that quarter. If the Program exceeds the
annual appropriation in a quarter other than the last quarter of the fiscal year, the
Pragram may be unfunded for quarters following the pro-rated quarter.
Modifications:
Any modifications allowed under this Ordinance without an Ordinance
amendment (e.g., change in the Stipend rate) will be recorded in an annual
Program update each July and maintained on file in the office of the Director of
Fire Services.
Termination: .
The Town shall have the right through the Representative Town Meeting to
terminate the Program at any tir rough the ordinance process.
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