Jan. 23--ESSEX -- On-call firefighters have been the backbone of the Essex Fire Department for years, but town officials are now exploring the idea of giving the department a full-time chief.
Essex firefighters, including fire Chief Daniel Doucette wrote to town officials earlier this week to request including funds in the town's fiscal 2015 budget for a full-time fire chief.
"For many years, we have been able to operate with strictly an on-call department of 45-plus personnel," the letter reads, "but the need for on-duty daytime personnel for the purpose of fire and medical coverage, fire prevention, inspections and administrative functions has become of increasing concern."
Currently, the fire department has a budget of $35,000 for the 2014 fiscal year, the letter notes.
Essex Treasurer and Tax Collector Virginia Boutchie said Doucette gets an annual stipend of $3,600, while on-call firefighters make $19.67 an hour if they respond to a call during the day and $21.51 an hour if they respond to a call at night.
The Board of Selectmen discussed the issue at a meeting on Tuesday night.
"If you go fulltime, you're talking (health care and other) benefits," said Jeff Jones, who chairs of the Board of Selectmen, at the meeting. "I'm not adverse to it. I just need more information."
The position and budget is expected to be discussed by the Finance Committee and Personnel Board.
Doucette, meanwhile, said the needs of the department are changing, and the job has become more demanding, from handling hazardous materials and inspections to providing a variety of medical services.
Doucette said a working number now for a full-time position is $84,000, arriving at that number by comparing similar positions in communities similar to Essex. Wenham fire Chief Bob Blanchard was named as the full-time chief in May of last year; his annual salary is $92,000.
Doucette said he usually clocks in one day a week and sometimes a shift on the weekend or at night, while also working a full-time day job.
"(There is a) decreasing number of individuals who are available in the daytime -- that's an issue also," said Doucette, adding that a number of the on-call firefighters live outside of Essex.
He added this was not the first time fire officials have taken a look at the possibility of making the fire chief a full-time position.
"I think this is a situation that will need to be addressed in the near future," he said. "Sooner rather than later would be better."
James Niedzinski can be reached at 978-675-2708 or at [email protected].
Copyright 2014 - Gloucester Daily Times, Mass.
