Public Protection & Safety Standing Committee of the RTM Special Meeting Agenda (PDF)

FIFTEEN ROPE FERRY ROAD
PHONE: 860-442-0553
WATERFORD, CT 06385-2886
www.waterfordct.org
AGENDA
PUBLIC PROTECTION & SAFETY STANDING COMMITTEE of the RTM
SPECIAL MEETING
Wednesday, August 17, 2022
6:00 P.M. - Waterford Town Hall
Louise Appleby Room
1. Call to Order
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Roll Call
4. To consider and act upon the September 16, 2021 Meeting Minutes.
5. Consideration and possible action on item(s) referred to committee:
A. Review of Ordinance 2.36 — Volunteer Firefighters Incentive Program, RTC 06/06/22
6. Adjournment
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FIFTEEN ROPE FERRY ROAD 8 WATERFORD, CT 06385-
MINUTES *Amended
PUBLIC PROTECTION & SAFETY STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE RTM
Special Meeting
Thursday, September 16,2021
6:00 P.M. - Waterford Town Hall/Zoom Remote Access Only
The September 16, 2021 Special Meeting of the Public Protection & Safety Standing Committee of the
RTM was called to. order by Chairperson Timothy Condon.at 6:00 P.M.
ROLL CALL.
PRESENT: April Cairns, Timothy Condon, Susan Driscoll, Baird Welch-Collins.
ABSENT: Richard Muckie,
ALSO. PRESENT: RTM Moderator Thomas Dembek, Town. Attorney Robert, Avena, Town Clerk David
L. Campo.
PUBLIC COMMENT None
AGENDA ITEM 5: April 5.2021 Minutes
MOTION by Welch-Collins, seconded by Driscoll, to-approve the minutes from. the April 5, 2021 Special
Meeting.
VOTING IN FAVOR: Unanimous with.one member abstaining. (Driscoll)
AGENDA ITEM 6: Appointment
MOTION by Welch-Coilins to appoitit Tim Condon to the Fire Services Review Special Committee.
Withdrawn
MOTION by Condon, seconded by Welch-Colling, to appoint Susan Driscoll to the Fire Services Review
Special Committee:
VOTING IN FAVOR: Unanimous with one member abstaining, (Dristoll)
MOTION by Driscoll, seconded by Welch-Collins, to adjourn at 6:07 P.M. ie
VOTING IN FAVOR: Unanimous :
Respectfully Submitted,
David L, Campo, CCTC
Waterford Town Clerk
SUFI HSE
SS: Wd 42 das 1202
*RTM Moderator Thomas Dembek’s attendance was not included in original draft.

8/9/22, 9:02 AM Waterford, CT Code of Ordinances
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 duties, while 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 expenses,
reasonable benefits and nominal fees to volunteers without impairing their status as 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. Town of Waterford Fire
Department personnel employed by the Town of Waterford are not eligible for this volunteer
firefighters and fire police incentive program.
B. Definitions.
1, Program:The term "program" means the volunteer firefighters and fire police incentive
program.
2. Program year: Program year is the fiscal year, i.e., July 1—June 30.
3. Implementation date: The implementation date of the program is July 1, 20201. 9
4. Volunteer member in good standing in the Waterford Fire Department: A volunteer member
in good standing is defined as:
a. Acertified 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 B.8), 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
B.8); and/or
b, Amember 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 B.8.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 B.8); and who has
been sworn in by the town clerk.
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Waterford, CT Cade of Ordinances
Avolunteer member in good standing does not include any member terminated from
volunteer service by the Town of Waterford or otherwise separating from volunteer service
for any reason, voluntary or involuntary.
. Active volunteer firefighter in the Waterford Fire Department: An active volunteer firefighter is
a certified firefighter and member in good standing who, during the year of eligibility, has
participated in a minimum number of approved training drills and maintains the minimum
training requirements as set forth by the director of fire services.
. Active volunteer fire police member in the Waterford Fire Department: An active volunteer
fire police member is a member in good standing who has been sworn in by the town clerk
and who maintains the minimum training requirements as set forth by the director of fire
services,
. Approved training drill: An approved training drill is a Waterford Fire Department level drill
that is approved in advance by the director of fire services and will result in credit towards the
town's insurance service organization, fire protection classification rating.
. Required training; Required training is state and federal minimum requirements to function
at emergency scenes. These requirements shall include, but are not limited to, the yearly
certifications and re-certifications along with the approved training drills. The director of fire
services maintains the discretion, upon a showing of good cause by the volunteer, to excuse
temporarily and/or until a date certain, the absence of any such certifications, 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
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
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10.
11.
Waterford, CT Cade of Ordinances
- SCBA refresher
- Routine Fit Testing
- CPR Certification
c. Certified fire officer requirements (additional):
State of Connecticut Fire Officer |
1S-800: National Response Framework
ICS-300: Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents
ICS-400: Advanced ICS for Command and General Staff
Fire police requirements:
Hazardous Materials - Awareness Level
IS-700: National Incident Management System
ICS-100: Introduction to the Incident Command System
Stipend: A stipend is an amount of money awarded to any active volunteer firefighter or
active fire police member who meets the criteria set forth below and as may be modified,
from time to time, by the director of fire services.
Point: A point represents participation by an active volunteer firefighter or active fire police
member in an emergency fire response or approved training drills as described in paragraph
B.7. To receive a point, an active volunteer firefighter or active fire police member 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 Ambulance
Service when attending and/or responding to a particular incident will not receive points
related to that incident.
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.
C. Program components.
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
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:
I
July through September (Issued in October)
October through December (Issued in January)
January through March (Issued in April)
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Fourth Quarter April through June (issued in July)
2. 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 fifteen minutes of the last vehicle returning to the station at the termination
of the event.
c. If an active volunteer firefighter or active volunteer fire police member is not able to sign
the report within the allotted time set forth in subsection C.2.b, he or she must file a
report with twenty-four hours of the incident.
d. Anyone documenting another member's name on the report shall initial next to that entry
for validation purposes.
e. Attendance records shall be recorded and maintained on the town's approved records
management software.
f. The director of fire services or his/her designee shall prepare the quarterly reports for
payment.
g. All quarterly reports will be reviewed and approved by the director of fire services prior to
the approval of issuance of quarterly stipend.
h. The director of fire services shall also submit quarterly reports to the RTM on the status of
the program.
3. Stipend eligibility and amount: An active volunteer firefighter or active volunteer fire police
member shail not receive any stipend until receiving a minimum of fifty 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 seven dollars for each prior and subsequent point earned
during that fiscal year (e.g., an active volunteer firefighter who has fifty-five points will receive
three hundred eighty-five dollars; an active volunteer firefighter with twenty points will
receive zero dollars). 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.
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
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Waterford, CT Code of Ordinances
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.
Higher level of training stipend: An active volunteer firefighter who receives at least fifty
points during a fiscal year and who is also a certified fire officer and meets all the additional
requirements outlined above (i.e., State of Connecticut Fire Officer |; IS-800: National
Response Framework; ICS-300: intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents; |CS-400: Advanced
ICS for Command and General Staff), will receive an additional one hundred fifty dollars on an
annual basis in recognition of his/her high level of training. This one hundred fifty dollar
stipend will be issued at the same time as the stipend for the initial fifty points. The director
of fire services may propose changes to the higher level of training stipend amount (increase
or decrease) to the RTM, which may act on such proposed changes by majority vote.
ineligibility due to misconduct or separation from waterford fire department: The ordinance
codified in this section incorporates by reference, the Waterford Fire Department Policy 103 -
Disciplinary Procedures, as may be renumbered and/or amended from time to time.
In the event that the director of fire services decides to impose disciplinary action short of
termination against any active volunteer firefighter or active volunteer fire police member, ~
the director of fire services retains the discretian to suspend any active volunteer firefighter
or active volunteer fire police member from the program, as either the discipline or as a
component of the discipline. The director of fire services retains the discretion to determine
the status of any existing points (e.g., forfeited, retained) at the time of suspension.
Any active volunteer firefighter or active volunteer fire police member who is terminated from
volunteer service by the Town of Waterford immediately forfeits all points and is not eligible
for any stipend. The director of fire services and the human resources director shall evaluate
and determine, in their discretion, the eligibility for a 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:
a. Through its normal, annual budget process, the town shall determine whether or not to
fund the program and, if so, in what amount.
b. Any portion of the annual appropriation not expended during a fiscal year does not carry
over to the next fiscal year.
c. 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
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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 program may
be unfunded for quarters following the pro-rated quarter.
2. Modifications: Any modifications allowed under this section 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.
3. Termination: The town shall have the right through the representative town meeting to
terminate the program at any time through the ordinance process.
(Amend. of 10-5-20(4))
Footnotes:
| Depending on the date of enactment of this Ordinance, the Implementation Date is retroactive to July 7, 2020.
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