Pasco County fire engines could be short-staffed starting next month

NEW PORT RICHEY — Pasco fire engine companies may be running short-staffed starting next month after the union this week defeated a proposed contract that would have saved all but nine vacant positions.

Commissioners learned Tuesday morning of the defeated contract, which fell short by 19 votes needed for ratification. Officials said 270 union members cast votes.

The contract would have waived union members' right to a 5 percent pay raise next year plus their right to six of the 10 paid holidays, which firefighters argued amounted to a pay cut. Holiday pay for Fire Rescue personnel is computed at time and a half.

But without those cost-saving concessions, officials say they must cut 30 vacant positions at Pasco Fire Rescue. Administrators used the funding for those 30 positions to help pay overtime to ensure that fire trucks are carrying at least three people to fire scenes. The idea is to have firefighters suited up and ready to go.

Now, that bucket of available money is gone for next year. And with the fire district fund's property tax rate already set as high as it can go, officials say they have no other place to turn but personnel.

The upshot? If too many firefighters are out one day — either for illness or vacation — administrators won't necessarily call in employees for overtime duty.

So fire engines may now show up at scenes with two firefighters aboard, forcing dispatchers to send more trucks to get enough personnel on scene. That means "there are going to be bigger voids," across the county, Chief Anthony Lopinto said after the meeting.

Officials will only start paying overtime to bring on additional personnel if eight companies fall to the two-man staffing levels. There are 23 engine companies countywide.

"This is the dead end," Lopinto told commissioners.

About 15 percent of the 47,000 calls each year to Pasco Fire Rescue are for fires. Traffic accidents would not require a back-up engine to respond, Lopinto said.

Firefighters who depend on overtime pay to supplement their base salaries may take a hit as there will be fewer extra shifts available.

"They're losing a lot of their overtime," Lopinto said.

The union will operate under its current contract with the county until the two sides can hash out a new agreement.

Fire services in unincorporated Pasco are paid out of a standalone fund based on property taxes. General fund money can't be used to pay for fire fighting services in unincorporated Pasco County, as cities like New Port Richey have their own fire services.

But officials, including top union leaders, said that financing issue has eluded some of the rank-and-file.

"There's a lot of education that needs to take place before our guys understand," said union president Ralph Grant.

Grant told commissioners that there was context to the vote: "There's been years of animosity" between the union and the administration, he said.

County Administrator John Gallagher told commissioners: "The mystery is … they believe you folks have money and that you're going to go ahead and fix it."

Commissioner Ann Hildebrand called the vote — and its implications for fire truck staffing — "quite unsettling."

The vote, said Commissioner Michael Cox, "tells me we've got quite a way to go to regain their confidence and trust."

Jodie Tillman can be reached at jtillman@sptimes.com or (727) 869-6247.