Avon Lake's Firefighter Overtime Dips as Runs Increase

Firefighter overtime, a longtime concern at , has dipped in comparison to last year despite an increase in call volume.

“Compared to the first quarter of 2010, the call volume is up 17 percent, but overtime is down 13 percent,” Avon Lake Mayor K.C. Zuber said. The city’s mayor functions as the head of Avon Lake’s police and fire departments.

In the first quarter of 2010 overtime was slightly more than $57,000, a 13 percent dip over 2009. For the first quarter of 2011, firefighter overtime is slightly more than $50,000.

In 2010 the department made 1,961 runs. For the first quarter of 2011, runs are up 17 percent compared to last year.

Chief Bill Morris attributed some of that increase to

“We have an older community now and we added some elder care facilities,” Morris said.

The city added a “floater” paramedic position in 2010, which both Morris and Zuber credited to lowering overtime. That paramedic is available to fill in on shifts, helping eliminate some overtime. In 2008, overtime in the department peaked at $405,000. In 2009, overtime dipped to $399,000 and last year to $345,000.

Zuber said the floater has helped.

“I think a lot of it has to do with the floater position at the fire department. That brings down the overtime with one additional person,” he said.

Whether the cost of the full-time floater decreases the bottom line has yet to be seen. Cost for that person, including benefit is about $80,000 per year, Zuber said.

Morris noted that adding additional personnel would further eliminate overtime, but he wasn’t sure at one point, if ever, the cost of additional personnel would outweigh overtime.  That issue was raised when discussions first began for adding additional personnel several years ago.  Then-councilman Michael Stanek questioned whether the additional salary would justify adding manpower.

“Mr. Stanek mentioned this before,” Morris said. “At one point does it tip? It would take a large decrease in overtime to offset the cost of adding another person.”