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Committee debates full‑time hires vs per‑diems and shift schedules
Summary
Members discussed how many full‑time firefighters Harpswell would need for 24/7 coverage, plans to supplement with per‑diems, and the choice between 24‑hour or 12‑hour shift schedules; tradeoffs included overtime costs, retention, and supervisory needs.
Committee members debated staffing models to achieve continuous coverage, with different participants urging either a larger roster of full‑time staff or a hybrid model that uses per‑diems to fill absences. One participant explained the staffing math: "If you get 2 per shift, you got 4 shifts since you're 8 and you can't stop it... so you're gonna have to add at least 2 more people to that mix in order to cover that time."
The group discussed common shift patterns (24‑hour shifts averaging 42 hours weekly for FLSA purposes vs. 12‑hour models) and the administrative burden of managing a hybrid roster. Members suggested starting by freeing administrative time, producing a budget estimate for two additional full‑time hires as a baseline, and then refining numbers based on recruitment feasibility.
