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Farmingdale chiefs propose routing off-hours dispatch to FIRECOM amid staffing challenges
Summary
Village fire chiefs told trustees they are struggling to staff part-time dispatch shifts and proposed routing non-daytime shifts to FIRECOM while keeping Monday'Friday 8 a.m.'midnight covered locally; trustees agreed to visit FIRECOM for further review.
Farmingdale fire chiefs told the Board of Trustees on June 22 that the department is finding it increasingly difficult to staff part-time dispatch shifts and proposed a new schedule that would route all non-daytime shifts to an external dispatch center, FIRECOM. The chiefs proposed that Farmingdale personnel continue coverage Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to midnight while FIRECOM handle other shifts because part-time qualified dispatchers are scarce and hourly rates have risen above the village's current allowance.
Administrator/Clerk/Treasurer Brian Harty reviewed the department's staffing history, noting that the village moved from three full-time dispatchers to one full-time position and multiple part-time positions about 14 years ago; the full-time dispatcher has frequently covered shifts when part-time staff were unavailable. Trustees agreed to schedule a visit to FIRECOM to evaluate the proposal and operational impacts. The chiefs also provided a LOSAP projection for upcoming retirees (listed in minutes as 27-1, 28-3, 29-7).
No formal vote or contract decision was recorded at the work session; the report was recorded as discussion and trustees directed a site visit to inform any future action.
