Holiday staffing is again an issue in Prince George's County. Career staff paid to stay home. Union calls it 'extremely dangerous for the citizens'. Chief says they are providing 'quality service' while contolling expenses.

Read PGFD holiday staffing memo

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The memo from Lt. Col. William D. Lea is very clear. The dramatic reduction in the career staff on duty during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend is an effort to remain within budget by the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department. Lea, who heads the emergency operations command, has sent out a plan that calls for only about 90 career firefighters and paramedics working on Friday, May 28 and Monday, May 31.

 The normal weekday career staffing is approximately 200 firefighters and medics. Holiday staffing prior to the cutbacks had been comparable to weekends with about 125 career firefighters and medics on duty. The county has 45 fire/EMS stations (Station 844 in Chillum is currently EMS only but is soon expected to again have an engine company). Five of the stations are staffed by volunteers with no career firefighters.

PGFD has been working with volunteer crews to provide coverage at many of the stations that will lose staffing for the two holidays. The memo from Col. Lea begins this way:

The County Government has provided limited funding for overtime and holiday pay. Thus, the Emergency Operations Command is working to ensure a collaborative effort by career and volunteer members to ensure adequate holiday coverage of fire and emergency medical services. To remain within budget, the holiday staffing for Employee Appreciation Day (Note: it is actually Firefighter Appreciation Day), Friday, May 28, 2010 and Memorial Day, Monday May 31 is as follows:

The president of IAFF Local 1619, Andrew Pantelis, is not happy about the staffing situation. In an email to STATter911.com late last week Pantelis wrote:

“The Prince George’s County holiday staffing plan for the Memorial Day Weekend Holiday is extremely dangerous for the citizens of the County and the members of the Fire and EMS Department. This unprecedented staffing reduction relies on a volunteer workforce that is already stretched thin across the County. Fire Department officials are gambling on the fact that there will be adequate personnel available to respond to emergency calls.”

Chief Eugene Jones sees this from a different perspective. He issued this statement when contacted by STATter911.com:

“We are a combination Department so we have the luxury of controlling expenses and providing quality service at the same time. Volunteers have contributed millions of dollars worth of services and we are proud of their service.”

According to Pantelis, firefighters who would normally be scheduled to work those days will receive pay for not showing up:

“Once again, Prince George’s County is paying firefighters a full wage to stay home as to avoid paying a holiday premium for on duty personnel. Clearly, the County is prioritizing dollars over our citizens lives.”

The union president also pointed out staffing issues during an apartment fire on Christmas Eve (video from that fire is here):

“We witnessed similar, but not as drastic, staffing reductions on Christmas Eve of 2009. When an apartment fire occurred at 6388 Maxwell Drive in Suitland on that date, more than half of the first alarm units and all of the second alarm units were understaffed with only 2 personnel on each rig. Ultimately a fourth alarm equivalent was required to control the blaze and forty people were displaced.”