3. Fire Department Staff Report on Firefighter Recruitment
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: February, 1 2023
To: City Council
From: Mike Hinz, Fire Chief
Re: Firefighter recruiting for 2023
Background:
Scandia Fire & Rescue is a POC (paid on call) fire department. We currently have a staff of 26 firefighters (3 of these
are on probation until June and November). We feel that a reasonable staffing level is 30 members. This number has
proven to be adequate in the past. The roster consists of 1 chief, 2 assistant chiefs, 3 captains, 1 engineer and 19
firefighter / EMT’s currently. We try to take new members on in June so that the member has some time to
understand the commitment that we require before their first training class starts in the fall. In fall they will begin
either firefighter 1 & 2, or they will start Emergency Medical Technician depending on the current rotation.
Issue:
Should we recruit and add up to 5 new members to the fire department roster? We are currently under staffed.
Proposal Details:
Start the process to hire up to 5 new members (we anticipate that we will not get all 5 to make it through the process,
we usually see a 50% drop-out rate)
Tentative Time line;
• February 1st - City council approve recruiting of up to 5 new members
• February 25th – March 31st = Take applications (active recruiting starting with the FireBall)
• April 3rd – April 9th = Review applications (Fire Officers)
• April 20th – 21st = Interviews (Mike H, Bill H, Ian S & Anne H.)
• April 22nd = Physicals at fire station (Officers & all members)
• April 24th – 28th = Second interview if needed (Mike H, Bill H, Ian S, Anne H.)
• May 3rd = Council approval (pending medical exam)
• May 8th – 19th = Medical exam (Osceola Hospital)
• May 21st = Family Meeting (All)
• June 1st = Start date (Fire Officers)
Fiscal Impact:
Staff time $280.
*If hired costs; The costs below are figured into the 2023 budget but, there is now an opportunity to be reimbursed for
most of the costs below by the state sponsored MNFIRE program.
Osceola Fit test $750 for 5 recruits, wages for the first year would be less than $8,000 for all 5 members, Training
cost for the first 2 years $8,000 per year for 5 recruits (firefighter & EMT training)
After 2 years turnout gear $2,000 per member
Options:
(1) Approve recruiting up to 5 new members per the estimated time line provided
(2) Approve a different number of new members
(3) Do not approve hiring any new members
Recommendation:
Option (1). Recommend we proceed with the hiring process; the final hiring decision will be made May 3rd. Waiting
could cause further under staffing problems.