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Campasano proposes sample solution to 24/7 coverage
Plan provides full coverage without additional budget increase 

GOFFSTOWN - 11/01/06:  Selectman Nick Campasano will soon be submitting a sample solution to establishing 24/7 fire and EMS service for the citizens of Goffstown. This plan illustrates that a solution to the 24/7 problem is not as complicated as it may appear.

    Currently, Goffstown's 10 fulltime firefighters work a 45-hour week, Monday through Friday.  Historically, nights, weekends and holidays have been covered by "call" firefighters.  But the ability of the fire department to hire these call personnel has greatly diminished over the years, and as such the Department was authorized this year to hire "per diem", or part-time firefighters to cover nights, weekends and holidays.  In essence, these part- time firefighters have been hired to work in place of the past call force. 

    The current 'Call Firefighters - wage line' addresses the use of "per diem" firefighters.  The 2007 proposed line requested is $231,178.  This 2007 amount includes the cost of hiring three part-time firefighters for nights, weekends and holidays and providing a "covering officer" for those time periods. 

Simple Plan

    The cost to Goffstown for a new full-time Firefighter/EMT (one holding a paramedic certification, and including utilization of the family plan insurance option) is $57,671.61 annually.  Accordingly, hiring two new Firefighter/EMTs would cost $115,343.22 annually.  

    Currently, Goffstown has two EMT-only personnel covering Station 19 from the hours of 6:00 PM until 6:00 AM, at a cost of approximately $15.00 hour.  Interestingly, the authorized pay rate for a part-time EMT-only position is the same as the new part time or “per diem” Firefighter/EMT position.  

    Campasano's example plan is a simple one:  

    1) Convert the two existing EMT- only positions to Firefighter/EMT positions for the 6:00PM to 6:00AM nighttime coverage period and add a third position. This would provide immediate response of either an ambulance or engine after hours.
            Such a conversion immediately provide both fire and EMS coverage, and at a small increase, which the anticipated savings highlighted below would mostly offset.  

    2) Eliminate the call/"per diem" positions on holidays and weekends.
            This results in a savings of $155,415 from the Call Firefighter-wage line.

    3) Apply $115,343 of that savings toward the hiring of two new full-time Firefighter/EMTs. 
            This would increase the current compliment of fulltime fire suppression personnel to twelve.

    4) Create a seven-day schedule for Goffstown's full-time firefighters.  
            As an example, a typical work schedule might involve a firefighter working twelve (12) hour shifts on a 3 days on, 3 days off basis.  The result is 3 weeks totaling 48 hours and 3 weeks totaling 36 hours, an average of 42 hours/week.  Such a schedule would allow for six firefighters per day (three at Station 18 and three at Station 19), from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, all 7 days of the week.  Staffing would increase  somewhat during the week when administrative personnel are on duty, as well.  Such a full time schedule eliminates the need for “per diem”, part-time or call staffing, and results in a net budget reduction of approximately $40,073.

    The following charts illustrate the differences between Goffstown's current coverage and coverage under Campasano's plan:


    

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