2008-2009 F.A.Q.

There have been some repeated questions that have come up to me from the field personnel so I thought I would add this in to maybe help those others that may have the same question.

If you do have questions, please ask.

• Q -- If a non paramedic Lt is put at station 4,5, or 10 for the shift, is one of the firefighters going to get floated out?
• A -- That's not the intent but it could happen. Depending on the staffing needs of the Department, if that firefighter is needed elsewhere to fulfill the needs then they may be floated out, same as it was last year. If at all possible, they won't move that person and potentially bring up a second truck by having the paramedic and one firefighter on the rescue and the Non ALS Lieutenant and other firefighters on the Engine.
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• Q -- Are the floats assigned to a station? or a Region?
• A -- No, the floats are lumped into a "float pool" and assigned as needed.
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• Q -- Will the Senior floats be staffed West or East?
• A -- Floats will be filled from Least Senior to Most Senior. This gives the greatest opportunity for the more senior float to be stationed West but doesn't guarantee it. Telestaff fills from the top of the page to the bottom of the page in the order the stations appear on the roster. Depending on when the positions become available and when they are filled by Telestaff determines where the float will be assigned.
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• Q -- What happens to the Floats if they are not assigned, if there are not 5 firefighters off or 2 medics off?
• A -- It is the intent, if there is an unassigned paramedic, to station them at Station 4 and bring up the rescue truck. The exception to this is during severe weather conditions in the mountains, the paramedic may be assigned to station 10 to bring that rescue truck up instead. If there is an unassigned firefigher, the intent is to assign them to Station 11 to bring that truck up to 3 people on the Engine first, then as needed by management after that.
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• Q -- What if I don't want to participate in PROBIE Training?
• A -- Don't request at a station where a PROBIE is assigned.
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• Q -- Will the guys in Paramedic school be able to request as a paramedic and take my spot even though they are not medics yet?
• A -- No, until they hold that Job number of a paramedic they can not request as a paramedic. However, as soon as they have their license and their job title changes from firefighter to paramedic, they will take their place on the seniority list as indicated by the date they were hired into the department.
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• Q -- How are vacancies going to be filled?
• A -- Management fills all vacancies and makes changes necessary to the request results as dictated by department needs. As it stands, they have been filling vacancies on the shift with the most senior person of the same job title. But it's at the discretion of the Chief.
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• Q -- After the request is over can we switch with someone else?
• A -- As provided in Article 14 of the CBA:

  14.2 Employees who wish to permanently transfer shift and/or station assignments with another employee in the same job classification may submit a written request to the Chief for his review and approval. Employees who voluntarily transfer shift assignments shall forfeit all previously approved leave. However, the employee may submit a request for unscheduled leave based on their new shift assignment.

  It would be benificial for you to get trades all done prior to the vacation request that way it doesn't effect your time off. All requests are at the discretion of the Chief.

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• Q -- If I'm a 3rd or 4th on an Engine can I get floated?
• A -- If the department needs it, you could be 1st on the engine and get floated. It's the intent to have 3 on an engine and ladder at all times and 4 on an engine if there is no rescue at that station. As soon as staffing allows the additional person will be added to Station 11 to bring that Engine up to 3 and additional medics will be added Stations 4, 5, and 10. When that occurrs, someone will be moved off the Engine and put on a Rescue with the paramedic.
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