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Blackstone raises on-call fire pay to attract and retain certified members
Summary
After reviewing recruitment and retention concerns, the Select Board approved restructuring on-call pay by experience and certification effective Jan. 1, 2025; officials said the FY25 budget line can absorb the change for the remainder of the year.
The Blackstone Select Board unanimously approved new on-call compensation for volunteer and on-call fire personnel at its Dec. 10 meeting, a change the chief said is needed to recruit certified responders and reduce staffing strain on full-time crews.
Fire Chief (Roy) presented a tiered pay schedule that differentiates new entrants from on-call members with a year or more of service and provides additional pay for certifications such as Firefighter I/II, EMT and paramedic. "We're trying to attract new members and retain those who have paid for paramedic training," the chief said, arguing the prior $17 hourly rate was insufficient for staffing medical callbacks and overnight responses.
Selectmen discussed the short-term budget impacts and staffing benefits. The town administrator reported the FY25 call-staff line item is currently within available budget and can absorb the changes through June; staff will monitor expenditures and provide updated estimates for next year’s budget cycle. Selectman Sweeney said the increase was "long overdue" and aimed at reducing the number of forced overtime shifts for career staff.
The board approved the revised pay structure with an implementation date of Jan. 1, 2025. The motion passed unanimously.
The chief said the department will continue outreach with schools and community career events to recruit new members now that improved on-call compensation is in place. The board asked staff to track expenditures against the existing line item and report back during the next budget cycle.
