Union president: Newark firefighters underpaid, overworked and leaving
NEWARK − The union members of the Newark Fire Department agreed to a three-year contract with 4% annual wage increases, but the union president said the agreement does not address many issues in the department.
Kevin Garwick, president of International Association of Firefighters Local 109, said the department is one of the lowest paid in central Ohio, making it difficult to hire and retain firefighters. The department is underfunded and understaffed, he said, with members forced to work overtime to cover shifts.
Garwick told Newark City Council last week that Newark ranks 40th out of 43 central Ohio departments in wages and continually loses firefighters to Franklin County communities. He said six firefighters left this year for higher-paying jobs and 23 have moved on in five years.
EditorialNewark, Licking County must decide who they want to be compared with
City Council unanimously approved a fact finder's report that recommended the annual 4% salary increases and the union membership voted 68-7 to approve the report. The union and city began negotiations in March. Wages were one of three issues that went to the fact finder for a potential resolution.
"Our problem will continue to exist until public safety and our public safety officers become a priority for you and the administration," Garwick told city council immediately after the vote.
“The raises in this fact finder’s report will not stop the revolving door of firefighters going to other higher-paying fire jobs. The only way this will stop is when the Newark administration and city council chooses to invest in the employees of this city and pay competitive wages.”
Garwick said firefighters who normally work a 24-hour shift are forced to work 48 consecutive hours because of the staffing shortages.
"We are exhausted, overworked, spread too thin and underpaid," Garwick said. "This trajectory is not sustainable. Someone is going to get hurt or killed, and the only way to fix it is paying competitive wages for firefighters.”
Following Garwick’s comments, no council members responded except for City Council President Don Ellington, who said, “Not exactly what I expected," before asking for a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Safety Director Tim Hickman said, “I respect his right to give his opinions. I was somewhat surprised by it and some things in there I’d disagree with. We appreciate all of our safety forces. I hate that (not being a priority) was the impression. We want to reward them to the best of our ability.”
Telephone messages left for council members Doug Marmie, chairman of the council finance committee, and Mark Labutis, chairman of the safety committee, were not returned by press time.
Garwick said the membership approved the contract because they realized it was probably the best they would get from a neutral third party.
“It is simply not possible to obtain the level of wage increases needed to address the significant pay disparity in the fact-finding and conciliation process," Garwick said. "It cannot be done by these means.”
Fire chief's perspective
Fire Chief Brandon Metzger agreed with some of Garwick’s comments but said council has approved every request for additional money to pay overtime, which may surpass $700,000 this year. The original overtime budget for the year was $450,000. The chief thanked council for approving the three-year contract, which begins in 2023.
“I’m very appreciative of council’s unanimous vote for that,” Metzger said. “I do believe the membership is extremely appreciative. It is a really good contract. I’m grateful city council voted unanimously to accept the fact-finder’s report.”
The chief, appointed to the position in July, said many of the department’s issues are industrywide but said the overtime hours do take a toll on Newark's firefighters.
“It’s a fair statement,” Metzger said. “Our membership is exhausted. Overtime is a primary factor of that. We don’t want anyone to leave. We value everybody that’s here. The majority of turnover has been due to the financial aspects of salary, wage and benefits, and the call volume.”
The chief said this summer that Newark firefighters start at about $40,000, while some Franklin County departments start above $70,000. The department will likely reach 13,000 calls this year.
The mental and physical stress, and emotional demands of the job, can have an adverse effect on morale, but the chief doesn’t know that it has.
“I can’t say it has,” Metzger said. “It definitely can. It depends on the individual.”
Spending on fire department
The union president said the city should have spent more money on the department in recent years to replace the aging North End Station on Hollander Street and front-line medic units that he said are falling apart, and adding reserve fire engines, in addition to paying competitive wages.
Garwick said $18 million from the American Rescue Plan, the COVID-19 stimulus package, went to sewer line replacement projects, street paving, Chase Bank building upgrades, city hall renovations, a temporary bridge on Cherry Valley Road, and demolition of the former White Westinghouse building on West Main Street. He said $250,000 paid fire department overtime.
“Not one dollar outside of the overtime costs went to the dedicated public servants who kept the city operational throughout the pandemic,” Garwick said. “The police officers, street department workers, water department workers, custodial staff, tax department, not one dollar went to the employees of this city. The funds instead went to already existing projects that were not affected by COVID.”
Hickman said there are strict guidelines on spending the ARP funds and those guidelines were followed.
“The city has made significant investment into the fire division," Hickman said.
Hickman said the city has $700,000 in debt for purchases of fire department apparatus. He pointed to last year's purchase of a $1.4 million ladder truck, a recent order for a new medic unit for $330,000, and three new fire stations in the last 15-20 years. Unfortunately, the medic unit could take two years to be delivered, he said.
Although the department is no longer required to have 19 firefighters on duty per shift, that has remained the target number, Hickman said, although it increases costs.
“To maintain the level of service our citizens have become accustomed, 19 is the magic number to be at," Hickman said. "Once we fall below that, that’s where we go to overtime. Since I’ve been here 19 is where we’ve tried to stay.”
Fire station locations
Chief Metzger said the department is in the preliminary planning stages for building a new North End Station, probably in a new location.
“The Station 2 building is extremely old and extremely outdated,” Metzger said. “The needs for the fire department far exceed the capabilities of that building. We need a more modern, efficient facility. I’d anticipate more concrete details on where, how and if that station is going to be done.”
Hickman confirmed planning for a new North End Station but could not give a timetable for when it might happen.
“That’s something being looked at, something being discussed," Hickman said. "We’re aware of the condition of the building. We’re trying to make it as nice as possible.”
Hickman said some firefighters still prefer to work at the Hollander Street station.
In 2005, Mayor Bruce Bain and city officials discussed building a new North End Station north of Waterworks Road and west of Horns Hill Park, between Horns Hill and Mount Vernon roads. A bridge and new road would have allowed travel over the Licking River, connecting Horns Hill and Mount Vernon roads.
Metzger said new fire stations are usually built in new locations, and a new North End Station would probably be located somewhere north of the 1140 Hollander Street site.
“Very rarely do you come across a run volume study that supports rebuilding in the exact location it currently sits,” Metzger said. “You anticipate the community has experienced significant amount of growth.”
The chief said the location of the new station at 950 Sharon Valley Road, opened in October 2020, “could not be in a better place.”
The East End Station remains closed for emergency response and has been repurposed to house the fire prevention and investigation bureau. The chief said it could be reopened at some time, but there are no plans and current manpower levels would make it difficult.
“It’s something we always consider, to circle back, but now the data doesn’t support acquisition for that fire station," Metzger said.
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Central Ohio fire department salaries
Following are the 2022 and 2023 base salaries for the following 13 central Ohio city fire departments and three non-city departments in Licking County. Data supplied by Kevin Garwick, president of International Association of Firefighters, Newark Local 109.
Community: Base salary in 2022 & 2023
Westerville: $102,136 & $103,514.
Whitehall: $99,597 & $102,108.
Columbus: $94,638 & $94,638.
Norwich: $91,883 & $95,099.
Grandview Heights: $91,372 & $94,113.
West Licking: $89,760 & $92,481.
Upper Arlington: $88,489 & $88,489.
Worthington: $83,042 & $85,948
Delaware: $82,812 & $86,150.
Lancaster: $80,814 & $84,855.
Granville: $75,762 & $75,762.
St. Albans Township: NA & $75,000.
London: $73,512 & $75,343.
Circleville: $65,656 & $77,368.
Heath: $65,583 & $65,583.
Newark: $62,391 & 66,574.
Average: $83,225 & $86,137.
Median: $83,133 & $86,143.
Newark Fire Department issues
Following are issues in the Newark Fire Department as identified by International Association of Firefighters Local 109 President Kevin Garwick:
Third-lowest-paid fire department of 43 departments within 40 miles of Columbus.
Difficulty attracting and retaining firefighters.
Eight vacancies now and no applicants
No hires from last civil service exam because all candidates went elsewhere for more money.
Daily staffing level of 19, same as 2004, when run volume was 50% less.
Firefighters working 48 consecutive hours due to forced overtime to cover staffing shortages.
Front-line fire apparatus more than 15 years old.
No reserve fire engines.
Two front-line medic units with adjusted road miles of 450,000-plus each.
Fire Department budget increased $200,000 since 2006, a 2% increase in 16 years.
North End Station, a former Greyhound bus station, opened as temporary facility in 1976.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Union president: Newark firefighters underpaid, overworked and leaving
