Florida Firefighters Could Work as Correctional Officers to Save Jobs

The Volusia County Council is recruiting 18 of its firefighter to become correctional officers in order to avoid further layoffs, according to The Daytona Beach News-Journal.

The county's jail system is experiencing a shortage of workers and the council has agreed to pay close to $1,700 to train the firefighters as correctional officers. The taining and certification process would take the recruits 14 weeks to complete.

Councilman Carl Persis called offering firefighters the new jobs a "noble gesture," but has his doubts, according to the report.

"I think they're two different kinds of people," he said of firefighters and corrections officers.

The council also decided those firefighters should be given first right to future job openings in the fire department.

"I think it was a generous act on the county's part," Local 3574 President John Colache told the newspaper. "We appreciate (the offer) as an alternative to layoffs."