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Snoqualmie Fire Department reports lower mandatory overtime after three hires
Summary
Department leaders told the Public Safety Committee that mandatory overtime hours have fallen sharply since 2023 after the council approved three additional firefighter positions. Officials said one lieutenant promotion will start Nov. 1 and that the department expects further drops when the final vacancy is filled.
Deputy/Acting Chief Brown told the Snoqualmie Public Safety Committee on Oct. 20 that mandatory overtime for the fire department has fallen significantly since 2023 after the city authorized three additional firefighter positions.
Brown presented a chart showing historically high mandatory overtime in 2023—more than 1,700 hours in that category—and said the additional hires have reduced forced hold-overs and required call-ins. He said a lieutenant selected through a recent promotional board is expected to begin Nov. 1 and that the department is in the final stages of hiring to fill the remaining vacancy.
Brown reviewed categories that generate overtime, including training coverage, quality-improvement reviews, vendor-paid event coverage (he noted Boeing Classic vendor OT), and a one-time spike for the department's pancake breakfast. He also said the shared-staffing program used earlier in the year has ceased and that the department's pool of acting lieutenants remains small; officials are recruiting and training to build that pool.
The presenter said the overtime trend is improving: projections show lower overall overtime for 2025 than for 2024, and the department expects further decreases once the final firefighter position is staffed. Council members responded positively to the numbers and thanked department leadership.
No formal committee action was taken; the presentation was informational.
