THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 10, 1996 TAG: 9602100266
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY LANE DEGREGORY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NAGS HEAD LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
If town officials hired three more full-time firefighters instead of filling shifts with paid volunteers, they probably would save about $10,000 a year, Nags Head resident Chuck Thompson told commissioners Wednesday.
Fire Chief Tim Morrison agreed that his squad needs some extra full-time firefighters.
But, he said, the volunteers are worth much more than the monthly stipend some of them receive. And he's not willing to eliminate nominal pay for hard-working volunteers.
``If they complete 10 hours of training a month and attend at least 25 percent of the town's fire calls, they get $110 in incentive pay monthly,'' Morrison said Thursday. ``Their help is worth a whole lot more than that. We really depend on our volunteers, and they do a fantastic job here.''
Thompson, who unsuccessfully ran for the Nags Head Board of Commissioners this fall, addressed the town's elected officials Wednesday during the public comment session of the board's regular bi-monthly meeting. He made several suggestions for restructuring the fire department and the volunteers' role in fighting fires. And he criticized commissioners for paying volunteers at all.
``Webster's defines a volunteer as one who gives of him or herself without any remuneration,'' Thompson said. ``Are we creating a greedy monster here so that people forget what the word `volunteer' means? . . . I consider it ridiculous for someone to use the term `paid volunteers' as it's being used in this town.''
With eight paid firefighters, a chief and a deputy chief, Nags Head's full-time fire department has a total of 10 employees. About 55 volunteer firefighters also respond to calls regularly. And if full-time firefighters are sick, injured or out of town, Morrison said he often hires volunteer firefighters to fill in.
This month, for example, two full-time firefighters are out on injured leave. The town is paying $7,000 to $8,000 per month to volunteers who are filling in for them. Full-time firefighters earn an average of $9.15 per hour - not including benefits. Volunteers are paid $7.61 hourly. By eliminating the volunteer pay and hiring three additional full-time firefighters, Thompson said, the town would save thousands.
``There is some question in my mind that those funds are not
being paid out equitable, as it appears that three or four people are receiving the bulk of the funds,'' Thompson said.
Morrison explained, however, that only volunteers who have earned their Emergency Management Training certificate and have an appropriate amount of experience are eligible to fill in for the full-time firefighters.
Firefighters with the most training and experience, the chief said, are logical ones to call first when the town needs extra help.
``It's been a good arrangement so far,'' Nags Head Town Manager Webb Fuller said of the agreement to let volunteer firefighters fill in for full-time workers. ``The volunteers provide a very valuable service to this town.''
In other action Wednesday, the Nags Head Board of Commissioners:
Unanimously approved a contract to construct an estuarine access on the Nags Head Causeway. The project, which will include an interpretive site and lighting, is expected to cost $74,000. The Dare County Tourist Bureau gave the town $37,030 to fund about half of the public project.
Agreed to hold a public hearing on a proposed town ordinance governing adult entertainment establishments. The hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. March 6 at Nags Head Town Hall. The public is invited to comment on the proposed rules, which are available at Town Hall.
Decided to solicit more input from the residents of West Soundside Road before they vote on changing the speed limit or instituting no-parking zones on that street. by CNB