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Raeford fire chief asks council for six full-time positions to maintain level 2 rating
Summary
Donnie Smith told the Raeford City Council Aug. 26 the department needs six full-time firefighters to move to 24-hour shifts and preserve its level 2 rating; council asked staff and the city attorney to draft a plan for later consideration rather than vote immediately.
Donnie Smith, Raeford fire chief and director of Fire & Rescue at Sandhills Community College, asked the Raeford City Council on Aug. 26 to approve six full-time firefighter positions so the department can move to 24-hour shift coverage and maintain its level 2 certification.
Smith told the council the department currently employs three full-time staff who work weekdays, while volunteers cover the remainder of emergency shifts and are paid a stipend. He said two daytime full-time employees perform fire inspections and are not counted among the requested new positions; a third full-time employee would be converted to the new 24-hour rotation. Smith described reducing volunteer stipends to one per shift to help meet OSHA staffing expectations requiring two personnel outside a structure when two are operating inside.
The staffing request matters because Smith framed it as necessary to preserve the department’s level 2 rating and to ensure adequate personnel on scene for firefighter safety and response coverage. Council members asked for operational details and how the change would affect volunteer compensation and daily coverage. Councilwoman Jackie McLean asked whether the proposed staffing would provide seven-day coverage; Smith said the plan envisions 24-hour shifts on a rotating on/off schedule.
Councilman Wayne Willis recommended the city manager, city attorney and fire-department representatives meet to develop a formal plan for council consideration at a future meeting rather than taking immediate action. The council did not take a formal vote on hiring at the Aug. 26 special meeting.
The chief also said volunteers currently cover a large number of monthly shifts; the transcript reads a numeric figure that appears to be a transcription error and was not clarified during the meeting. The council’s next step is staff-level planning and a subsequent council discussion when a formal proposal, cost estimates and any recommended ordinance or budget action will be presented.
