by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
After six months of recruiting, training and a wave of promotions and departmental transfers, the City’s fire chief said that his department will be ready Saturday, when 133 of its most experienced members retire.
The mass exodus is a result of the Deferred Retirement Option Program, which offers firefighters the option to claim part of their pension in bulk. The DROP will save the City thousands in pension contributions, but forced the department to juggle its personnel and intensify its training and recruiting.
The first DROP class will take with it more than 3,300 years of experience. However, Chief Richard Barrett said his department won’t skip a beat.
“I think it will fall into place real nicely,” said Barrett. “I don’t see any holes in the stations, there won’t be any vacancies on the shifts. I’ve been looking for any signs of trouble, and I don’t even see a blip.”
For months, Barrett said the department has been training its leadership replacements for their new roles. Following promotion, Barrett said his new class of lieutenants, captains and chiefs will have to adjust to a broader set of responsibilities, particularly when answering an emergency call.
“The toughest part about being a supervisor on scene is forcing yourself to back off,” said Barrett. “It’s tough to realize your job is not to pick up a hose and fight the fire. You have to be able to see the whole picture, trust your sector officers to tell you what’s going on and be able to direct them.”
Barrett said it would take on–scene leaders about two years to get comfortable in their new roles.
The wave of retirements has already resulted in 248 promotions or transfers. Barrett said the new streamlined track to leadership positions created a more enthusiastic department. Morale was cited as one of the department’s primary problems when Mayor John Peyton interviewed candidates for chief. A lack of opportunity to advance was seen as a contributing factor.
With the DROP program, several careers have entered the fast track, and Barrett said his department would benefit.
“With these opportunities for promotion to leadership positions, the morale right now is the highest I’ve seen in more than a decade people are so excited about these promotions.”
Barrett said he hasn’t been able to keep officer’s brass — collar devices denoting rank — in stock.
City planners expect future retirement classes won’t present the same challenge. The high number in the inaugural class resulted from senior department members jumping at the opportunity five years ago, according to City Finance Director Cal Ray. The 133 retirements was 49 more than the four previous years combined.
Ray said the City projects a quick return to normal numbers. The Police and Fire Pension Fund projects the number to shrink from 33 in 2005 to five in 2008.