2012 Safer / R & R

[CordovaFire]

I'm just looking for a few ideas that have worked. For some reason I am stumped on this one. Would love to hire but the trick is how to comply with staffing. We are volunteer, so we obviously cant hire 12 people to be compliant with staffing. We can depend on the volunteer ratio to get there. Has anyone been able to make this happen on the volunteer level or are we restricted to R&R. I haven't seen many ideas on the R&R relm either. I am well versed with the AFG and FP&S. I have yet to try this one, I guess for lack of knowledge or ideas. Any help anyone?

[BC79er]

Unless you can't turn out 10 people on a run between mutual aid and the volunteer contingent then that's the gap you need to fill with hiring. Both of those are super gray areas so it pretty much depends on how many you can afford to hire. Most of the time we run a hiring and an R&R to handle motivating both crowds, or do 1 one year and 1 the next. We've also done pay per shift for the vollies for those that are around on weekdays instead of hiring. Had one department where the retired but not too old crowd was available during weekdays but wasn't turning out and instead hanging over at the coffee shop, so the interior folks that were available ended up driving and not going in. Did the pay per shift so that they'd show up and let the interior do that job. All sorts of stuff is doable in SAFER, just depends on what the challenges are to staffing. SAFER is especially a different strokes for different folks program, even neighboring departments have different issues, challenges, and solutions that would work.

[DTaa66]

We have a program we are trying to implement giving individual so many points for training,so many for calls and so many for fund raising activities and etc.At the end of each quarter they would receive a voucher for gas for the points they have built up. Does anyone else do this? If so I would like to hear how you are doing yours and how it is working and if anyone has a narrative that I could look at I would appreciate it. I know it is getting late but still working with it to see if this is what we want to do.

dtaa665199@aol.com

[CHChief]

We have a program we are trying to implement giving individual so many points for training,so many for calls and so many for fund raising activities and etc.At the end of each quarter they would receive a voucher for gas for the points they have built up. Does anyone else do this? If so I would like to hear how you are doing yours and how it is working and if anyone has a narrative that I could look at I would appreciate it. I know it is getting late but still working with it to see if this is what we want to do.

dtaa665199@aol.com

We are looking to write something similiar. We were going to go by mileage per call for gas cards. And grocery gift cards for training hours and completing FF1 & II etc. Any narrative would be appreciated

dfd420@hotmail.com

[BC79er]

Check with your local accountants about paying mileage, sometimes that comes into all taxable unlike the usual 1099 limit of $600.

Also can't pay perks for fundraising activities, only training and incidents.

[LVFD301]

So what about this,

"
This is for "incentive" cards. Based on level of training, vs number of calls. Fire calls are based on 5.00 a call for basic Firefighter, 7.50 per call for an NFPA trained Engineer, and $10.00 per call for a Firefighter I and II. BLS response is $5.00 for First Responder, and $7.50 for EMT. This will encourage response, AS WELL as training. "

And

asking for AD&D coverage, workmans comp (Just doubled in price) and tuition assistance.

[LVFD301]

So what about this,

"
This is for "incentive" cards. Based on level of training, vs number of calls. Fire calls are based on 5.00 a call for basic Firefighter, 7.50 per call for an NFPA trained Engineer, and $10.00 per call for a Firefighter I and II. BLS response is $5.00 for First Responder, and $7.50 for EMT. This will encourage response, AS WELL as training. "

And

asking for AD&D coverage, workmans comp (Just doubled in price) and tuition assistance.

No thoughts from the gallery?

[expertshot]

No thoughts from the gallery?

I wrote a successful application for a volunteer fire department in the midwest that had stipends for its members. The officers and firefighters each had a line item for the stipend. Calls, training, public education events, or other duties were in a tier. If the person met the criteria then they got X. Just remember, it costs about .50 cents for every dollar for taxes, workers comp, or an in-state benefit system (since you are asking for workers comp it would probably be lower for you). The AD&D is great since it is still high priority. We also got a higher education stipend in the program. The biggest thing I can say is don't low ball yourself and tie it all back to how you are going to get 1720 compliant. We tied the tutition stipend as a program where the member had to be on the department for three years that way all the incentives were not front loaded i.e., there are incentives to stay with the department.

[BC79er]

Sorry Blake, read too quickly and didn't realize you were looking for input, thought you were responding to someone else.

Anyway, like any R&R project if the members say that's what is going to work for them to get them more active & trained, plus bring in more bodies to the department, then that's the solution for you. Each department will be different in amounts, project design, and everything else because it's different strokes for different strokes. Some want a retirement perk, other's want incentive cards, college scholarships or loan repayments, etc. If the amounts are enough to get people moving, but not so much that the department can't absorb it 100% with any likelihood then it's the right plan for your folks.

[LVFD301]

So I should call it an "incentive card" and not fuel reimbursement? And the structure is ok?

[BC79er]

Haven't allowed it to be a direct fuel reimbursement since 2009, everything has to be called incentive card. What they spend it on doesn't matter, department just can't buy fuel cards. Prepaid Visa/MC is allowed, then they can spend it on anything since the member isn't restricted at that point.