Policy 2110: PAID ON CALL MEMBERS MEDICAL, SKILL MAINTENANCE, TRAINING AND INCIDENT REQUIREMENTS

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YAKIMA COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 12

10000 ZIER ROAD

YAKIMA, WA 98908

POLICY # 2110

COMMISSION CHAIR SIGNATURE: Jim Borst

EFFECTIVE DATE: 7/10/2007

REVISED: 3/11/2008

12/12/2017

12/13/2022

07/14/2026

Policy Title: PAID ON CALL MEMBERS MEDICAL, SKILL MAINTENANCE, TRAINING AND INCIDENT REQUIREMENTS

RESCINDS: RULE 7.41, 7.42, 7.43, 7.44

REFERENCE: WAC 296-305, WAC 491-03

1.0 PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to establish minimum expectations for participation, training, and operational readiness for Paid On-Call Members (“Members”) to ensure the District can effectively meet its Mission. The intent of this policy is to promote consistent participation, ensure operational readiness, align incentives with performance, and maintain firefighter and public safety.

2.0 DRILL ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS

· Members shall attend a minimum of 50% of scheduled drills annually.

· Probationary Members shall attend:

o 70% of drills for the first 9 months following completion of recruit training, or

o 70% of drills for the first full year if already trained upon entry.

· No double credit for attending the same day and night drill unless approved by the Training Officer.

· Members are responsible for tracking and meeting their attendance requirements.

· Approved exemptions will adjust the total drill opportunities.

3.0 MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

· All members shall be required to pass an entry level medical exam and drug test.

· All members upon reaching age 50, 55 and 60 shall pass a medical examination and all members over 63 must pass a medical exam every three years.

· Members participating in the Board for Volunteer Firefighters retire/rehire program must pass an annual physical.

· All medical exams shall be performed by the District’s appointed physician or pre-approval for a member to use their physician.

· All costs incurred for medical examinations shall be the sole responsibility of the Fire District. However, Members that elect to have their personal physician perform the exam using the District’s required procedures and forms will be at the member’s expense.

· Any findings requiring future medical treatment are at the expense of the member.

4.0 TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

Members shall maintain all required certifications and competencies as determined by the District, including but not limited to:

· Advanced First Aid / OTEP participation

· CPR certification

· EVIP certification

· SCBA certification (Support Members exempt)

· Wildland refresher (Support Members exempt)

· Live fire training (Support Members exempt)

· Annual workability test (Support Members exempt)

· Proper PPE maintenance/inspection

5.0 STATION CALL REQUIREMENTS

· 200 or Less Total Annual Station Calls = 25% Annual Required Attendance

· More Than 200 Total Annual Station Calls = 20% Annual Required Attendance

Members are expected to respond to calls from their assigned station.

Members on leave of absence or medical leave are excused from all calls during their leave.

6.0 PERFORMANCE TRACKING

· Member participation (drills, calls, training) shall be tracked and reported quarterly.

· Reports will be posted at each station for awareness and accountability.

7.0 DRILL EXEMPTIONS

Exemptions may be granted for:

· Career Firefighters, Paramedics, EMT’s, ER Personnel with patient care responsibility working on drill nights. Must submit a copy of work schedule showing unavailability.

· Attending other Yakima County department’s OTEP classes or outside training.

· Drill exemption is given while a member is attending recruit school, wildland firefighter class or emergency medical technician training. One exemption per week for any class held in that week.

· Members assisting in Public Education, Association Events or other Department Activities may receive one exemption for the week of the event.

Exemptions reduce total available drills but do not remove compliance requirements.

8.0 ANNUAL COMPLIANCE, SERVICE CREDIT, AND LOSAP ELIGIBILITY

Participation directly impacts eligibility for retirement service credit and LOSAP.

A. WA BVFF Relief & Pension Service Credit

In accordance with Washington State Board of Volunteer Firefighters standards:

Members must meet one of:

· The District’s minimum drill attendance requirement (Section 2.0)

· The District’s minimum call response requirement (Section 5.0)

AND

· Training requirements (Section 4.0)

· No more than 12 weeks of medical or leave annually.

If these thresholds are not met:

· The Member WILL NOT receive a service year credit.

B.Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP)

To receive a LOSAP credit year, Members must meet one of:

The District’s minimum drill attendance requirement (Section 2.0)
The District’s minimum call response requirement (Section 5.0)

AND

No more than 16 weeks of medical or leave taken annually.

If these thresholds are not met:

The Member WILL NOT receive a LOSAP credit year.

Probationary Members:

During recruit school, after being issued PPE and a pager if the Member is not responding to 25% of alarms- Company Officer verbal discussion with Member and contact Recruit Academy Instructor to speak one on one with the Member and document the conversation. (Drills are encouraged but not required during academy).
One month following complete recruit academy if Member is not actively participating by meeting 25% alarms or 70% drills- Company officer will speak one on one with the Member and document the conversation. Also contact Recruit Academy Instructor to speak one on one with the Member and contact CO with findings.
For the 9 months following required training if the probationary Member is not actively participating by meeting 25% alarms or 70% drills- Company officer will speak to the Member one on one to discuss the need to meet requirements, document the conversation. Company Officer to contact Deputy Chief to advise of the situation and Deputy Chief discusses with the individual their participation and report conversation findings to Station Captain.
Any one of the above instances counts as one discussion, after two documented discussions with the Member and they still are not meeting requirements the Company Officer and Station Captain will have a final meeting with the individual, at the discretion of the Station Captain the Member will be recommended to be terminated or given 60 days to meet standards.

Non-Probationary Member:

Exterior firefighters will be issued an orange helmet and shall not participate in interior structural firefighting.

At the end of each quarter numbers are distributed to each station, for any Member not meeting the drill/call requirements their company officer will speak to them one on one to discuss the need to meet the requirements and document the conversation.
After the company officer has met with a Member below standards they will report to the Station Captain the results of the meeting regarding the Members ability to meet standards in the future. The Station Captain and company Officer will determine if the Members should be placed on 3 months’ probation* or terminated.
*Members placed on a three-month probation that are below interior firefighter thresholds will serve as exterior only firefighters until they meet minimum interior firefighter standards, if they do not the Station Captain will recommend to the Chief to either terminate the Member or extend the probation for an additional three months.

9.0 REVIEW PROCESS

Members may request review of their participation status or classification (Interior vs Exterior) by the Fire Chief.

The Fire Chief retains final authority on:

Status determinations
Exceptions or extenuating circumstances
Policy interpretation

The Fire Chief may convene an officer’s review board to hear arguments about a status change or termination. The board shall have four members as follows:

a. An Officer selected by the Member recommended for termination or status change.

b. An Officer selected by the Chief.

c. An Officer selected by the first two board members.

d. The Deputy Fire Chief shall chair the review board.

Both the Member recommended for termination/status change and their Station Captain will provide the review board with the facts and reasoning for their wishes.

The Deputy Fire Chief shall submit a report in writing of the conclusions after all the facts are heard. No one involved directly in the termination/status change shall be appointed to the review board.

The Fire Chief shall review the report and determine the outcome of the situation to uphold the termination/status change or develop a last chance agreement with the Member.

If the terminated/status change Member feels the results are not acceptable the Member may submit a written request to the Board of Commissioners to review and respond to the termination/status change. The Board of Commissioners’ decision shall be final and binding.