City Council Work MTG 042825
Monday, April 28, 2025
Overview of East Bethel Fire Department volunteer model
Analysis of fire department duties and organizational structure
Levels of service and call type classifications
Fire department staffing and daytime response challenges
Proposal for a volunteer-based 'duty crew' staffing model
Recommendation for reducing response to non-emergent medical calls
Budget reclassification for firefighter positions
Areas of Interest (4)
- East Bethel fire officials consider drastically reducing response to non-emergent medical calls like 'back pain' or 'diarrhea'.
- Proposed shift to 'duty crew' model aims to solve daytime staffing shortages while keeping costs under $16,000.
- Concerns raised over firefighter safety during daytime calls, with reports of single-person engine responses to structure fires.
- Fire department leadership faces a 'loss of history' and knowledge following recent turnover of veteran staff.
Votes (1)
Adopt the agenda
Moved by Unnamed Mayor · Seconded by Unknown
Notable Quotes (2)
If you want to experience what it's like to be an on call firefighter, I would love to have you carry a pager. And when that pager goes off, all I want you to do is respond to the fire station any time of the day that you can 3 in the morning.
I'm talking about the cause of a fever, the cause of a back pain, the calls of dizziness, a cough, diarrhea, sore foot... abdominal pain... medical alarm... lift assist.
People (1)
JerryConsultant/Interim LeadConducting organizational study and presenting fire department restructuring recommendations.
2 quotes
Conducting organizational study and presenting fire department restructuring recommendations.
“Time is the new money.”
Explaining the shift in volunteer availability and recruitment challenges.
“I don't need someone on the left swimming all the way over to the right's business.”
Describing 'swim lanes' for roles in the fire department.
Places Mentioned
Events & Meetings (1)
- April 28, 2025; Work Session