On the County Commission campaign trail, the plight of Marion County Fire Rescue is sometimes mentioned. Daniel Owen, in particular, is highly critical that the existing commission has allowed the agency to lose so many employees to other counties.
"This commission has decimated" that agency, Owen, a Republican running for the District 1 seat, said Thursday morning during an interview with the Star-Banner.
Later in the day, county government and some partners announced a plan to improve that employment situation.
In short, the county is bringing back its Fire and EMT Academy, which it last offered a decade ago. The goal is to rapidly fill 22 firefighter and emergency medical technician (EMT) jobs by offering 22 weeks of paid training — with a job guarantee at the end upon certification.
The academy "is geared primarily for those with roots in Marion County but is open to Citrus and Levy counties as well," Fire Rescue said in a news release issued jointly with CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion.
Those two agencies, along with the state Fire College and Marion Technical College (formerly CTAE), are combining forces on this effort.
In the news release, Fire Rescue Deputy Chief James Banta said past academy graduates have tended to stick with the agency. Students become “well-trained future firefighters who see Marion County and our surrounding communities as their home and want to give back to their fellow citizens.”
The academy will offer Florida Firefighter 1 and 2 and EMT certifications. Training includes the Emergency Vehicle Operators Course (EVOC) and paramedic certification.
Fire Rescue has more than 500 employees and volunteers who work out of 31 fire stations. As of Thursday the agency had 91 job vacancies. County government recently finalized contracts with the rank-and-file and supervisors.
Owen, when told about the county's announcement, said it's a step in the right direction. But, like other people, he has criticized the county's inability to retain employees once they start to gain seniority.
"Programs like this simply plug the exodus of trained, seasoned EMTs," Owen said by email. There "needs to be a balance of training and retention."
Danny Garcia, secretary for the rank-and-file firefighters' union, said, "We're almost at critical levels" of staffing now. On any given day, he said, 24 people are working overtime just to maintain adequate staffing levels.
He welcomes the revived academy, but said it needs to be a supplement to other efforts to attract and retain senior employees.
Anyone interested in the revived Fire and EMT Academy may attend a recruiting event from 9 a.m. to noon July 14 at the College of Central Florida’s Klein Conference Center, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala. Informational sessions will be held every 30 minutes. Check CareerSource CLM’s calendar of events or call 1-800-434-5627, ext. 1101.
Preference is given to residents of Marion County as well as those living in Citrus and Levy counties. Eligible trainees must be at least 18 and a U.S. citizen, have a high school diploma or GED, have a valid Florida driver's license, be able to read and speak English, pass drug and background checks, and have abstained from tobacco use in at least the past 12 months.
For more information, go to www.marioncountyfl.org/departments-agencies/departments-a-n/fire-rescue/mcfr-recruiting.
— Contact Jim Ross at 671-6412 or jim.ross@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter @jimrossOSB.
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