On Monday night, the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District will host a Special Meeting of the Fire Board to approve a Labor Agreement with its firefighters which grants them a 5 percent raise.
Firefighters, who had been working without a contract were negotiating in good faith with the fire district since September 30, 2014. The contract would expire June 30, 2017.
Under the labor agreement, effective January 1, 2016, salaries for all classifications in the bargaining unit would increase by 5% while the salary differential between each step would be 5%. As part of the agreement, there will be a differential between salary classifications of 10% (fire fighter to fire engineer to fire captain).
The District is also agreeing to pay 5% pay differential to all employees who possess and maintain the criteria for enhanced Emergency Medical Technician.
According to the staff report, the Enhance EMT differential would come from the proposed First Responder Fee which is being brought before
Chief Hugh Henderson stated Sunday this fee, estimated around $337, came about after a discussion in the districts finance committee over the summer.
“The first responder fee would be billed by Contra Costa fire as part of the new ambulance contract. The part of the revenues generated by the first responder fee would pay for the enhanced EMT program which would include the salary differential, the training, and the medical supplies for the enhanced,” explained Henderson. “The goal would be to have all our firefighters trained at the enhanced level. The first responder fee would be approximately $337 which would be billed to the patient’s medical insurance. The estimated revenue for the first responder fee is about $600,000 annually.”
Henderson stated fire agencies across the County including Contra Costa Fire, San Ramon Valley Fire, and Moraga Orinda Fire all have established first responder fees for the engine based medical response.
According to the proposed Ordinance at the December 17, 2015 Finance Committee meeting, the fee is aimed to recover the cost borne by the District in providing emergency medical first-responder services to residents and non-residents of the District. The fee will be charged to each person who receives District provided emergency medical first-responder services during a single incident.
ECCFPD Chief Hugh Henderson
“The thoughts were if the district was going to have a first responder fee being able to provide enhanced services to the community would help in this justification but not required for the fee. For our employees to train and maintain in this enhance skill a differential was proposed. As I stated before part of the first responder fee would pay for the enhanced service. It is my understanding that insurance companies are used to across the nation seeing first responder fees in their emergency response coverage,” said Henderson.
Although Chief Henderson stated the First Responder Fee will help pay for the 5% Enhanced EMT differential pay, the Board has not yet approved the fee. That issue will come up at the January 4, 2016 where the fire board will either approve it or reject it.
If approved, the labor agreement and raises will come less than a month after an agreement was made after a Task Force recommendation between the fire district, the County, and the cities of Brentwood and Oakley to provide revenue of $2.2 million to re-open the Knightsen fire station (Station 94) for a period of 16-months. During that time, the District will explore both short-term and long-term funding options including a revenue enhancement in the 2016 November election.
The special meeting also comes after a December 15 meeting where the Brentwood City Council decided to appoint two city council members to the fire board and not re-appoint Steve Smith and Greg Cooper. Council members Steve Barr and Erick Stonebarger are set to be sworn in on January 4, 2016 and will not partake in Monday’s special meeting of the fire board.
Board Packet
For the Board Packet, click here.
If you go:
Monday, December 28 at 150 City Park Way, Brentwood CA
Meeting begins at 6:30pm
15 comments
Why didn’t this fire board make sure their raise matches the 7.5% confire just got last year? The gap between the district further expands. Such a shame because these guys work hard with little resources. They are worth much more than what they are making.
The raise is fine as is much less than what the county board of supervisors gave themselves. The fee is not. Idiots want to ask me for money to fund them to open station yet want to also bill me in the form of a fee if I call them? Unbelievable.
Frank, you may be wrong. The supes was way less than 5 percent a year. Their raises were eventually recommended by a panel of citizens instead of the practice of a percentage of superior court Judge salaries. By law (passed by voters) the Supervisors must grant their own raises. They have no senior management over them, they are the CEO’s of the County.
If I’m charged a fee for first responder I will pass it on the Contra Costa Health Services via small claims court. I already pay for first responders in the form of taxes. The county needs to pay this. Also I think the raise should be higher but it is what it is. I can’t figure out how some yahoos calculate to $17. bucks an hour. Promoting lies to sell a new tax will not help. The salary numbers shown comes to much more than that as it should.
They bring in new revenue through a fee and use it to pay for firefighter raises and still go for a revenue enhancement. Screw this fire board
Most would agree that the raises should be larger, but this is better than nothing.
I completely support the “First Responder Fee” for medical services provided by our fire district. The portion of our property taxes that goes to the ECCFPD is intended for fire protection services, and it is very reasonable to enhance the districts revenue by charging for the medical services being provided on behalf of the County.
I would like to understand the basis for the Chief’s estimated revenue. $337 per patient would allow for five 3-4 calls each day to raise $600K anually. I thought there were more calls.
What happens when the patient (or their carrier) refuses or is unable to pay the bill? Will the County cover it?
Whatever the answers to these questions, this seems to be a good step forward.
If your carrier doesn’t cover it, you will.
The County has never paid for ambulance or first response. Not sure why you think they would now.
@ its on you, Do some research dude. The county pays first responder every day. Con Fire get added first responder money. If you talk transport its a different subject. At what point does a fee become legal for a taxpaying resident ? When they show up ? When they apply first aid ? When they do CPR ? Another disaster by a disasterous board.
@BI95, I’ve done the research. Looks like you haven’t. Fee for service is not a new idea. Other districts already do it. But maybe you can hold hands with your friend Local, file a small claims against the County and we can all watch you make fools of yourselves in a failed effort. Back to the topic of not doing your homework – you’re aware that Confire is imposing the same fees 6 months from now, right?
Oh, you didn’t know that? Guess it’s back to school for you.
You “Whiners” are getting what you pay for.
So when you need EMS or Fire Services you get what is allowed in the current budget.
Pay the fees $$ and stop “Mooching” off of us in the Contra Costa FPD, who pay for better services.
I don’t want my fire engine sitting at your fire any longer!
Hey Mikee in Pitt, don’t worry about us on the east side ok
Your beef should be with the County. It’s their unfair application of property tax money to your neighbors that is sapping your district’s resources.
Mike, sounds like your whining. The fact is we pay the same as you here in East County. We just get less because of the county staffers that gave more to others. I would challenge that you get better service. We have a great crew of firefighters. You just get more because you screwed over another public service when they dealt out the money. That’s why your con fire is overpaid.
I don’t see the details of the fee that is going to be discussed, checked the district website.
Does anyone have the details?
@Relax…: See agenda item D-4 in the 1/5/2016 Board packet at this link:
http://www.eccfpd.org/assets/documents/BoardPacketJanuary42016.pdf
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