VA Union Sounds Alarm over Staffing Shortage, Mandatory Overtime

The Virginia Beach engine crew at Fort Story was sent to another station Saturday due to a staffing shortage.

It was the first time since the 1990s that an engine was browned out due to staffing issues, Virginia Beach Professional Fire and EMS President Max Gonano told 13 News Now. 

Gonano said mandatory overtime is taking a toll on firefighters and EMS personnel.

“It is stressing out the workforce. It is overworking everybody. It is not a healthy environment because these people are working 24 hours. They are getting to the end of their 24-hour shift, and they are being told, 'Hey, you are not going home today, you are going to stay for another 12 hours, or you are going to work somewhere else.'”

Last year, personnel worked about 14,000 hours of mandatory overtime, he noted.

Union officials notified the public about the unstaffed engine on social media platforms.

“I hope they can get this situation fixed before it really impacts somebody,” said one resident.

Virginia Beach Fire Chief Ken Pravetz issued the following statement to the media:

"Temporary station closures, or "brownouts," are extremely rare for VBFD, and I can't recall a time in my history with VBFD when we've ever had to do this for staffing shortages. The instance that occurred last Saturday was an anomaly, and regretfully - despite all attempts - we simply did not have enough staff to operate the station safely. All calls for service were covered by the Navy’s apparatus in the same station. We also had redundant coverage from the next two closest stations, 1 and 11."