Fire training officer idea is shelved

By JENNIFER FARRELL

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 11, 2000

SPRING HILL -- Spring Hill Fire and Rescue commissioners have scrapped a plan to hire a training officer for the 63-member department and opted instead to put three more firefighters on the street this year.

At a workshop Wednesday night, commissioners decided to postpone talks on the administration's proposal to add a training officer position until they begin drawing up next year's budget, Chairman Gene Panozzo said.

By adding three firefighters at a cost of $121,000 for the first year, commissioners hope to save $100,000 in annual overtime expenses.

"Plus, it puts extra manpower out in the field for the safety of the firefighters and the safety of the people," Panozzo said Thursday.

The move will add one person per shift to the department, meaning it will be better equipped to handle staffing needs, Commissioner Dennis Andrews said.

"That's going to help when somebody's off or somebody calls in sick," he said.

Commissioners agreed to put off spending $70,000 to reinstate the training officer position, eliminated in 1994. The post was last held by Andrews, who resigned from the department in 1995.

At the workshop, Commissioner Gene Wright, a lieutenant with Pasco Fire Rescue who serves there as the department's acting training chief, said replacing the position is essential.

"You've got departments everywhere with at least one training officer," he said. "Pasco has a staff of five." Talks grew heated when Andrews questioned the need for replacing the position, saying he wants to be sure that the department is using the resources it already has to the fullest potential.

"If everybody else is sitting back waiting for somebody else to run the show because they're too damn lazy...," he began, before adding that captains and lieutenants should handle routine daily training.

At that, John Ferriero, president of the firefighters union, fired back.

"On a daily basis training reports are turned in to the captains," he said. "The training is being done . . . To imply laziness or to assume that it's not being done is quite offensive."

Andrews later apologized but added he would like more information on training schedules. "What are people doing?" he said.

On Thursday, Andrews repeated his concerns.

"I'm not saying that we don't need a training officer," he said. "I just want to make sure that we're doing the best we can with the people we have."

Commissioner Bob Kanner said he remains unconvinced the position is needed.

"Spring Hill has been second to none for all these years so we must have been doing something right," he said.

Chief Mike Morgan said the administration will push for funding for the position, citing a need for comprehensive standardized training.

The board is scheduled to vote on hiring the three new firefighters at its next meeting set for 7 p.m. Aug. 23 at fire headquarters on Bob Hartung Court.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.