Study recommends changes in Police and Fire Departments
Published on November 14th, 2001
STONEHAM, MA - The Mass Municipal Association has recommended reorganizing the Stoneham Police and Fire Departments.
The MMA Consulting Group prepared the report for Stoneham town officials. Page one of the report states that recommendations are “intended to provide for organization and staffing models that will meet the needs of the town for the next five, 10 or more years.”
Selectmen will discuss the report at their Nov. 20 meeting.
Police
The report recommends eliminating the major lieutenant post and creating an assistant police chief position. The assistant chief would be responsible for assisting the chief with the daily operation of the department as well as overseeing personnel management and achievement of department goals.
One of the remaining lieutenants would be in charge of the operations division — all three shifts of patrolmen.
The other lieutenant would lead the administrative division, including the detective unit, D.A.R.E., communications and traffic safety.
Under former Chief Eugene Passaro, a lieutenant assisted the chief as well as aiding in administrative duties, the major lieutenant served as the lead administrator or executive officer of the department, and the third lieutenant took care of supervisory duties overnight.
The MMA also recommended replacing rotating patrol shifts of equal numbers with fixed shifts with fewer men on during the last shift because far fewer calls are received during those hours. For 2000, 5,143 calls came in during shift one (8 a.m. - 4 p.m.); 5,953 came in during shift two (4 p.m. - midnight); and 2,020 calls came in during shift three (midnight - 8 a.m.). A sergeant would be in charge of overnight supervision. Both lieutenants and the assistant chief would work days.
Chief Gregory O’Keefe did not return calls to his office in time to make this edition.
Fire
The MMA says one fire station is enough for Stoneham but recommends improvements to the station as well as reorganization of staff and operations.
The report recommends eliminating the deputy chief’s position upon his retirement and creating three divisions — operations, fire prevention and support services — each led by a senior captain to be designated as a battalion chief. The fire prevention battalion chief would be in charge of fire prevention efforts, inspections and public education. The support services battalion chief would handle communications, the safety officer and apparatus equipment.
The battalion chief in charge of operations would oversee a new shift structure: two companies of at least four men each would be on duty at all times, one engine company and one ladder company. Eight men out the door satisfies the OSHA requirement that firefighters enter burning buildings in pairs following the “two men in, two men out” practice while the remaining firefighters man the equipment. Also, the report recommends that Stoneham firefighters be trained as paramedics so that they can administer advanced life support (ALS) services, such as intubating a person or attaching an IV.
Chief Larry Lamey’s department sends two engines and a ladder to fire calls, but he only has eight men to staff this equipment. Action Ambulance provides all ALS services.
“Overall it’s a good report,” Lamey said. He wants a new station. He says having his men trained in ALS will save lives because Action can’t always get to the scene as quickly as the Fire Department. And he agrees completely that Stoneham needs at least eight men out the door on calls.
But Lamey questions the two company response model.
“The Insurance Services Office that sets the rates for communities requires two pumps and a ladder to every fire,” Lamey said. “I think we can satisfy OSHA and the ISO better the way we are operating now, as long as we have the personnel.”
These changes will require negotiations with local unions, but Lamey says everyone should take the study seriously. Some changes may save money. Others will increase costs to the town. But the study aims at a cost effective and adequate system of public safety.
“The least the town can do is provide for that,” Lamey said.
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