BALDWINSVILLE — With an aging volunteer population and increasing time commitments for training, the Belgium Cold Springs Fire District Board of Commissioners wants to hire a paid fire chief and firefighters to supplement the existing volunteer base.

Fire Commissioner Jeremy Patterson called the topic “emotionally charged” at a July 11 public hearing on the issue. He presented on the challenges facing BCSFD and the proposal to hire a full-time chief and two firefighters.

The BCSFD Board of Commissioners is proposing the addition of a full-time chief with a salary and benefits totaling $140,000 and two full-time firefighters/EMTs, who would each make $100,000 in salary and benefits.

Hiring a paid chief would “create a stable/consistent leader at the top of the firematic chain of command,” Patterson said. The chief is responsible for overseeing training, completing fire reports, managing equipment and supplies, and coordinating relationships with neighboring fire districts and municipalities.

BCSFD has two paid caretakers, whose salary, benefits and overtime total $159,000 a year. The commissioners are proposing a redistribution of that $159,000: setting aside $50,000 for mechanical work and and snow plowing contractors and putting $109,000 toward paid staff.

The total annual cost would be $340,000, so the proposal would add a net $231,000 to the budget.

Patterson said under the district’s current tax rate, a resident whose property is assessed at $100,000 is paying $131 in fire taxes. If the district hires a chief and two firefighters, taxes on that same home would be $154. A homeowner whose property is assessed at $300,000 currently pays $393, and the paid staff proposal would increase that to $462.

More demand, fewer firefighters

According to Patterson, the training hours required for beginning volunteer firefighters have doubled in the last 50 years. In 1970, volunteers were required to complete 59 hours of basic firefighting training. As of 2020, the requirement was 129 hours.

Volunteers also must attend drills and business meetings as well as 13 hours of refresher/requalification training annually.

BCSFD responds to about 500 calls each year. In order to qualify for Length of Service Award Programs (LOSAP) retirement benefits, volunteers must respond to 10% of those calls. While the average time for an alarm is one hour, volunteers will spend four to eight hours at a fire.

A dually certified interior firefighter/EMT will have a minimum first-year time commitment of 476 hours (12 weeks) and an ongoing annual time commitment of 147 hours (3.5 weeks).

Residential and commercial development in Lysander means the district now serves 9,500 residents, compared to 800 people in 1949.

BCSFD had 64 active members in 1949. Today, it has 44 active members, nearly half of whom are over the age of 60.

Patterson said BCSFD has had to “scratch” 25 calls since January because they did not have enough volunteers to respond.

“One out of every 10 times one of our residents call 911 for an emergency, we are unable to provide emergency service,” read one of Patterson’s presentation slides.

“That’s unacceptable,” he said.

Residents respond

Fire district residents weighed in on the proposal at the public hearing with numerous questions, but Patterson said this hearing is the beginning of the discussion.

“We are not implementing this tonight. We may not be implementing this in a month … or for five years,” Patterson said.

Barbara Raymond-LaPrease asked whether the board has discussed the issues of response times with the membership. She also asked if the paid chief would be required to live in the district and what other eligibility requirements they would have to meet.

Of the 297 calls BCSFD has responded to this year, Charlie LaPrease said, 50 calls have come in during the two paid caretakers’ daytime working hours. Since the majority of calls occurred after hours, LaPrease asked how scheduling for the new proposal would work.

Brant Messer said the proposal might cost $340,000 the first year but would increase exponentially as employees reach retirement.

“I think the figures are woefully short because most of these people are going to have to be paid prevailing wage,” Messer said. “You’re going to be paying these people virtually for the next 50, 60 years and their pensions are going to be equal to about $60,000.”

Kim Branagan, past secretary and Firefighter of the Year, spoke about the value of saving lives and property.

“If we’re not talking about this now, what’s going to happen when all of a sudden we don’t have enough people to respond at all? I don’t want my house to be the one that burns down. I don’t want my mother to have a heart attack and nobody comes to respond,” she said. “Congratulations to the board for doing something and not sticking their head in the sand, and good luck.”