Mass. chief struggles to recruit firefighters in bad economy

By Michael Kane
The Telegram & Gazette 

WEST BOYLSTON, Mass. — Fire Chief Richard Pauley Jr. is looking to fill another full-time position in the Fire Department after the announced departure of Michael McGovern.

McGovern, who joined the department after town meeting approved two additional full-time firefighters last year, is the third firefighter to leave West Boylston in as many months.

In June, Captain Dean Kochanowski tendered his resignation just weeks after firefighter/paramedic Richard McGinn also announced he was leaving his full-time position in West Boylston.

Both McGinn and Kochanowski left West Boylston to join the Holden Fire Department. McGovern is leaving to join the department in Acton, Pauley said.

In better economic times, Pauley would not need the approval of the Board of Selectmen to fill spots in his department. However, the town is still under a hiring freeze, a fact noted by Selectman Christopher Rucho, who voted against filling the position.

In June, Pauley pointed out that the town's advanced life support (ALS) certification is dependent on the ability of full-time paramedics, whose training goes well beyond that of emergency medical technicians (EMT), to respond at all hours of the day.

"(Paramedics are) cream of the crop in terms of training and skill levels," Pauley said.

That advanced training, which requires at least 1,000 hours of "clinical observation," or, ride-along time, can also be a hindrance.

In June, Pauley expected to fill at least one of the positions by July and the second soon after, possibly from the same pool of candidates. However, those candidates have not been forthcoming.

In all, the town received nine applications, not all of whom were qualified to serve as paramedics, although some are within a few hours of training, Pauley said.

Recruitment struggles
The problems drawing candidates are the same reasons skilled firefighters are leaving West Boylston: Economics and opportunities.

Pauley said he spoke with fire chiefs and administrators of ambulance companies and hospitals who also said they are having a hard time recruiting because of the economy.

"People are hunkering down," Pauley said. "If they have a decent paying job and seniority, they are hesitant to put themselves into a situation where they are the last guy in and the first guy out when the layoffs start."

Pauley said last week he received an e-mail from a chief of a Central Massachusetts town asking him to forward the names of any paramedics who have been laid off and who may be looking for jobs.

"There is a fairly small pool of people who are qualified for this, and those who are more seasoned are going to communities that can offer them more," he said.

For those who are willing to make a move, West Boylston cannot compete with the higher pay and better hours of larger communities.

For example, Gaumond noted employees in West Boylston are being asked to forego pay raises this year and will likely be asked to do so again next year. In addition, the unions are now being asked to negotiate out of their previous health insurance benefit packages, in which the town paid 90 percent of the premium.

Scheduling holds its own benefits, Pauley said.

Holden's shift is two 24-hour days in a 72-hour period. There is then five days off. While firefighters are away from home for 24 hours, they also can sleep for a portion of the 24-hour period, Pauley said.

In West Boylston, firefighters work 12-hour days, then have call responsibilities at night.

"They don't have to answer calls in Holden at night," Pauley said. "We're a small town. The dynamic of our department doesn't lend itself to the schedule Holden has to offer."

Then there is the pay.

In a letter to selectmen, Pauley noted the high-end of West Boylston's salary schedule is $23.14 for firefighter/paramedics and $18.52 for firefighter/EMTs. Both McGinn and Kochanowski had maxed out in the step process in West Boylston, but started in Holden at just less than what they were making in West Boylston.

McGovern will earn $4.50 more per hour than he is earning in West Boylston.

In his letter, Pauley said the current, five-step pay increase process is "out of line and inconsistent with a vast majority of compensation plans other public sector employees have in place."

Gaumond pointed out that a wage and classification study was completed for West Boylston and was ready to be brought to voters in 2008. That restructuring would have increased pay for many non-union employees, including firefighters. But, at that time, the state's economic crisis had started to show itself and the proposal was never brought to voters.

Grant liabilities
McGovern is one of two full-time firefighters hired under a federal "SAFER" grant, which covers a portion of the salaries to increase the number of firefighters.

Should the number of firefighters fall below seven, there is a possibility the town could have to pay back funds from the grant. However, Pauley said he sees no risk for West Boylston.

Departments are given six months to replace outgoing staff members. Pauley said he has one definite candidate to fill a position and a second who is in the final stages of the hiring process.

McGovern's position should be easier to fill, Pauley said, because it will be advertised as a firefighter/EMT, not a paramedic. Pauley said he expects the replacements for McGinn and Kochanowski to fill the hours needed in the daytime, and there are ALS-certified call firefighters available at night and on weekends.

The future
Pauley's immediate concern is filling the open positions, he said. Once "the dust settles," he plans on meeting with his team to address what issues can be met while leaving enough full-time paramedics to cover the 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. hours, when call firefighters typically cannot respond.

"I understand why they are leaving," Pauley said. "But we are locked in by the personnel bylaw and the current economic conditions.

"Once we have a full complement, we will sit down together and see what can be done," he said. "I'm not sure how successful we can be, but we'll look at it to see if there is anything we can do."

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