Calumet Park Fire Department news (more)

Excerpts from ChicagoTribune.com:

In a groundbreaking decision that could reshape how small suburban towns handle emergency services, Calumet Park has decided to outsource its fire department to a private company in a bid to reduce costs. On November 8, the village board unanimously approved a separation agreement with its firefighters' union and signed a five-year contract with Kurtz Ambulance Service to manage both fire suppression and ambulance services for the community.

This move is expected to set off a ripple effect across the south suburbs, as many local governments face financial pressures due to rising salaries, overtime, and equipment costs. The village attorney mentioned that they are already in talks with three other communities about similar outsourcing arrangements.

Kurtz Ambulance will take over the fire department on December 1. As part of the deal, the company will deploy 12 full-time firefighter/paramedics, working in four-person shifts, replacing the current team of more than 30 part-time firefighters. Four of these new employees are former Calumet Park firefighters who have chosen to transition to full-time roles with Kurtz.

The village will pay Kurtz $825,000 in the first year, with annual increases up to a maximum of $925,000 by the end of the five-year contract. This amount does not include the fire chief's salary or expenses related to building maintenance, equipment, and utilities. With a previous budget of nearly $1.5 million for the fire department in fiscal year 2019, officials hope to save at least $500,000 annually through this arrangement.

However, the separation agreement with the union, which includes a $1,000 per year severance payment for each year of service, will eat into those savings. Union members will receive half their severance on November 30 and the remaining half in early 2019, costing the village around $240,000 in total.

Martin Rita, a 12-year veteran and union president, noted that the union had proposed several cost-saving measures but couldn't reach an agreement to keep the department in-house. While he was pleased that four firefighters would stay on with Kurtz to help with the transition, he expressed concerns about the quality of service a private company might provide.

The mayor praised the firefighters for their dedication and never questioned the quality of their work. However, he emphasized that the decision to privatize was driven by the village’s financial struggles. A key factor was the realization that 18 part-time firefighters were eligible for pensions, potentially leading to long-term liabilities. Combined with increasing workers’ compensation and healthcare costs, the decision became unavoidable.

Looking ahead, Calumet Park officials plan to expand their private fire and paramedic services beyond the village boundaries to generate additional revenue. If successful, the town hopes to establish intergovernmental agreements with neighboring communities, similar to the existing 911 dispatch contracts managed by Kurtz through the village’s emergency communications center.

Joe Richert, secretary-treasurer of Service Employees International Union Local 73, called this the first time he had seen a unionized fire department replaced by a private firm.

Pat Devaney, president of the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois, noted that while the idea of privatizing fire departments isn’t new, he wasn’t aware of any other municipality in Illinois that had actually followed through with such a move—except for North Riverside, where legal challenges prevented it.

Thanks, Ron

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