Wausau Fire Engine 1. MWC photo by Mike Leischner.
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — The Wausau Public Health and Safety Committee has voted to send a proposal to hire nine additional firefighter/paramedic positions to two additional city committees for further examination.
Fire Chief Bob Barteck noted that as the city has grown in the last 50 years, the fire department’s staffing levels have failed to keep up. That’s led to the department deploying tactics such as cross-staffing which has led to some longer wait times and more calls for mutual aid. It’s also hurt the departments’ reputation in the eyes of the ISO rating system.
“You know, to have two-person engine companies in this position when this call struck really put us in [a bad spot,] it’s exactly what ISO describes and why they give us a 56% on our deployment- cross-staffing is ineffective,” said Barteck during Monday’s meeting.
The call he was referring to was a recent fire in an attached garage that involved flammable liquids and protecting a nearby home while also saving as much of the living space as possible. One of the city’s videographers had happened to be on duty at the time of the call and was dispatched to film the response. That was edited and presented to the committee. During the video, Barteck described some of the basics of how the department handled the call, and what could have been done differently or more efficiently had more hands been on deck that evening.
Barteck added that despite the short-handedness of the staff the fire was well-run by those in charge, although it took several minutes for the scene to have additional hands-on-deck due to active ambulance calls just before word of the fire reached the department.
“The cross-staffing configuration that we run where our firefighters come off the ambulance and over to the engines doesn’t work when they are engaged in EMS calls. This night- two of the three EMS units were already engaged in calls. Four firefighters that would have been on the scene are on [other] calls.”
Alder Lisa Rasmussen said Barteck made a compelling argument, adding that since she was first elected to the city council she’s seen investments in equipment for the department including a brand-new fire station on the city’s west side. Now she says it’s time to focus on the human infrastructure.
“The equipment was number one. Stuff was expiring and very expensive. Facilities were beyond the pale as well and now we’ve opened up station two now, brand new. We’ve done some refurbishing at Central and at [station] three to get those environments to a better state- and I can completely see where we are short,” said Rasmussen.
Barteck also noted in his presentation and in documents submitted as part of Monday’s agenda packet that the department has seen a 200% increase in call volumes since 1970 but has added just one full-time staffer in that same time.
“With the call volume increase and the staffing stagnation, it makes sense that we would consider this,” added Rasmussen.
Alder Jim Wadinski added that he would like to see community input on the issue outside of the usual public comment, such as a community-wide referendum. Rasmussen noted that would have to wait until April. Either way, Wadinski says he doesn’t know how anyone would be against better service from the department.
“I don’t think anybody in this community would be against having something that we really need. We haven’t done anything for 50 years, we need more manpower to service our community in the way our citizens deserve to be serviced,” said Wadinski.
The motion to move the discussions forward passed 3-0 with Committee members Pat Peckham and Dawn Herbst absent.
Barteck’s call for additional staff originated with the November 9th City Council meeting where it was decided that further discussion would be required at the PH/S committee in addition to the Human Resources and Finance Committees. Those two will take up the issue with a focus on their specialties; hiring and financing the positions, at future meetings.
Comments