Firefighters union in Boardman questions hiring volunteer firefighters
BOARDMAN TOWNSHIP, Ohio - The Boardman Fire Department is waiting for the release of more than $601,000 that's been awarded in the form of a federal grant.
It's money to help re-establish the township's volunteer fire department.
Boardman currently has 38 fulltime firefighters on the job, and the township administrator and fire chief agree the grant is critical because it means that adding more manpower won't cost taxpayers a dime.
"It pays for their training, their equipment, it even pays for a coordinator to oversee all of the volunteers. It's really exceptional because it just adds to the manpower in the fire department," says Jason Loree, administrator for the township
The grant will span four years and includes hiring 25 volunteer firefighters to be trained at the same level as the fulltime staff.
It was during tough economic times in 2008 that the Boardman Fire Department laid off some fulltimers and abolished the volunteer force.
"It's a great opportunity for the township to re-establish the volunteer numbers we had prior to the layoffs in 2008. It's to support the full-time staff for safety reasons," Chief George Brown says. "It's required that the 38 fulltime firefighters be maintained through the life of the grant."
But the union representing the fulltime firefighters is not so sure.
He questions why the union was never informed about the grant and the township's intentions to supplement manpower with volunteers.
The union believes the volunteers will be making more money an hour than new firefighters.
Firefighter Jim Hoover is the vice-president of the International Firefighters Union Local 1176.
"Our biggest concern is that we're not sure if the township is trying to replace career firefighters with volunteers," he says
But the township administrator says that's not the case.
"We have no intention of replacing career firefighters as they stand in the department now. They're not replacing, they're augmenting. It's unfortunate that they feel that way. We have no intention of replacing career firefighters as they stand in the department now," Loree says.
The firefighters union also questioned if they federal grant was obtained through false pretenses.
On the application for the grant it states Boardman Township Fire is a "combination" department, meaning a combination of full-time firefighters and volunteers. But the administrator says that simply meant they applied for the grant and if they obtained it would be able to become a combination department.
The grant emphasizes hiring post 9-11 veterans. The hiring process will likely begin in July.
