[RP TownTalk] Fire Department Staffing Changes for Riverdale

[Spiro Dimakas]

Just thought everyone should take a read of this. Currently Riverdale Park
is protected by a 100% volunteer fire department. The main station that
provides the back-up firetruck and ambulance when they are unable to get
out will be losing staffing and become 100% volunteer.

Spiro Dimakas
Resident


Fire/EMS Department Efforts to Meet Budget Mandate
*MEDIA CONTACT: Mark E. Brady, Chief Spokesperson, 240-508-7930*
*mebrady at co.pg.md.us <mebrady at co.pg.md.us>     @PGFDPIO*

The Prince George’s County Fire/Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department
has identified additional strategies to help meet our budget
mandate.   Current efforts have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars
through overtime reduction, reduction in recruit class sizes and the
increased use of Volunteer Staffing Utilization.

It has become clear that these efforts will fall well short of the
reductions necessary to come within budget.  The current staffing plan has
been evaluated and reassignment of a limited number of career personnel has
been identified as an effective fiscal measure to help meet budget
reductions and shortfalls while continuing to provide service in an
efficient manner.

The staffing plan calls for the reassignment of 12 firefighters.  The 12
firefighters will fill spots currently vacant and will reduce overtime
costs.

The 4 career personnel at the Riverdale Heights Fire/EMS Station will be
reassigned. These firefighters work during the day, Monday through Friday,
from 7:00 am until 3:00 pm with volunteer firefighters handling services at
all other times.  Riverdale Heights will continue to do their best to
provide fire and EMS services on a total volunteer basis around the
clock.  They will be 10th station to be all-volunteer out of a combined
total of 45 fire/EMS stations in Prince George’s County.  This reassignment
will not occur until October 4, 2015.

The Bowie – Old Town and Accokeek Fire/EMS Stations will have staffing
adjusted by one firefighter per shift (4 shifts).  This reassignment will
equate to these two stations losing the ability to have dedicated staffing
on the fire apparatus and ambulance.  They are not losing those vital
services; only the ability to provide dedicated staffing for each unit,
which is safer for personnel to operate and improves response times.  The
change in staffing from 5 personnel to 4 per shift will not go into effect
until September 20, 2015.


The Fire/EMS Department will continue to respond to all emergency and
non-emergency calls and, as always, we will do the very best we can to
minimize service impacts.

Link to Story:
http://pgfdpio.blogspot.com/2015/09/fireems-department-efforts-to-meet.html
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