Belleville testing

[Mangles]

I recently saw Belleville is testing. I've heard conflicting reports that they may cut back or that they are opening a new station. What is true?

http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/job-JGDCP76...-k-firefighter

[SFDredhat126]

They are definitely building a fourth station. It's near Route 15 and Illinois Street. Someone told me, but I don't remember how many openings it will create. I'm sure there will be at least a few.

From what I know, it appears BFD is a pretty good job. They are fire-only, work a 24/72 schedule, and it pays pretty well.

[ggwash21]

Anyone Get or fill out the app for Belleville yet? Came in form of novel this morning.. Ha Just curious on if anyone is applying or has applied

[BigIrish4545]

I'm going to pick one up next week. Got me a four hour drive to get there so I will be slamming the red bull! But that's a very small price to pay for such an opportunity.

[jhughey]

I am planning on picking up my application in the morning. How many pages does this thing consist of? Just curious, because I heard it was 60 pages! Seems a bit excessive...but oh well!

[SFDredhat126]

Belleville planning to hire 4 new firefighters
But grant needed for 4 more
BY LAURA GIRRESCH
News-Democrat

BELLEVILLE --
The city has set aside $208,000 in its new budget to hire four more firefighters for the first time in 20 years, but Fire Chief Scott Lanxon said that's not enough to sustain the city's planned fourth firehouse for the long term.

Lanxon had applied for a federal grant to enable the city to hire eight new firefighters, but the city's application recently was rejected. To hire eight firefighters on its own, the city would need $416,000, money Mayor Mark Eckert has said just isn't in the budget.

Lanxon now is encouraging the council to continue looking for ways to pay for another four firefighters, and meanwhile, he will apply for the next round of federal grants, which could be awarded in the fall.

Hiring eight more firefighters could save the city $800,000 in overtime and other costs over four years, Lanxon said. The Fire Department, which has 52 firefighters, a deputy fire chief, an assistant fire chief and the chief himself, has been racking up more than $200,000 yearly in overtime.

The additional firehouse could open by fall at the former Illinois American Water Co. building at 1125 S. Illinois St. and could cost as much as $4 million to renovate and equip. It is long overdue, Lanxon said. The city hasn't opened a new firehouse since 1932. He said it could decrease fire response time from 10 minutes in some areas to three or four minutes.

Lanxon told council members at a recent aldermanic Police and Fire Committee meeting that firefighters already are stretched thin. He said he'd rather the city pay regular wages for additional firefighters than pay overtime, which he said "really, really eats into the budget."

Lanxon also tried appealing to the council's desire to attract new development to the city. More firefighters would give the area a higher Insurance Services Office rating, he told the committee, and a higher rating would mean cheaper insurance for commercial properties, something he thinks would attract business to Belleville.

Ward 4 Alderman Johnnie Anthony, who was a firefighter in East St. Louis for 31 years and is a member of the aldermanic Police and Fire Committee, said he knows four more firefighters is enough to get the fourth firehouse running, but he agrees that the department needs more than that to sustain it in a growing community. He said that if the next grant doesn't come through, he will try to help Lanxon get four more firefighters.

Ward 2 Alderwoman Dorothy Meyer, who also is a member of the Police and Fire Committee, said she doesn't think the council will consider spending more money on firefighters until it knows whether the city will receive money from the next round of grants.

"Four is what we can do. We'll take it from there and see if it works," Meyer said.

Eckert said adding four firefighters, which may be hired by the end of June, and making some shift adjustments in the new firefighters' union contract will allow startup of the new firehouse. He said he knows the city needs more firefighters in the long run, and that it also needs more police officers. He said the city likely will need to hire more police officers before it hires more firefighters.

Eckert said he will continue looking for "ways and means" to hire more firefighters and police officers, but if the city doesn't win a grant, it likely won't hire more firefighters in the near future.

Lanxon is hopeful the city will get the next grant.

"They just ran out of money," he said, adding that the federal government had $110 million to give to departments around the country, and it received requests for $700 million.

http://www.bnd.com/473/story/350395.html

[kprsn1]

I am planning on picking up my application in the morning. How many pages does this thing consist of? Just curious, because I heard it was 60 pages! Seems a bit excessive...but oh well!

Josh, how dare you try to get on at Belleville and leave your Chief hanging like that! I have a rule that all our members must submit any applications for other departments to me first for my signature and then I "lose" them if I don't want that member to leave. Ah, you know I'm just kiddin'!

[jhughey]

Lucky for him, I'm not testing there!

My better half would like me to start my "career" in a smaller town, closer to home. Hopefully I can pass the test in Mt. Vernon in the fall...then I'll have to work with another one of those DuBois natives.

I must be a glutton for punishment.