Chelan County Fire District 3
Leavenworth, Washington
Chief’s Report, 8-18-10
Resident/Sleeper Program:
In 1992 the Chelan County Fire District #3 Volunteer Firefighters Association started a volunteer sleeper program. Two volunteer EMT’s staffed a duty shift at the main station from 6 pm to 6 am seven days a week. After moving into our new facilities in 2000 the district started a resident/sleeper program which we still operate today.
Currently we have 6 volunteer sleepers and 3 resident firefighters. Those 9 personnel cover at least one 12 hour shift 7 days a week all year long. The service this provides our constituents is equal to having a full paid fire department while keeping the tax rate equal to that of a volunteer organization.
Resident firefighters must sign and complete an agreement with the district which includes duties, cleaning requirements and training mandates. Sleepers must meet certain training requirements but the duties compared to a resident are relatively light.
This program improves our fire district services in the following ways:
- Reduces reaction time on incidents
- Increases experience level of personnel
- Recruiting and retention tool for volunteers
- Station I staffed during non-business hours
- Ensures minimum response level on all incidents
- Lower operating costs compared to career department
An argument can be made that the resident/sleeper program saves our district tax payers and city residents conservatively more than $240,000 a year just in personnel costs alone. That is a great service our personnel are providing.
Duty Officer:
In 1995 after the City of Leavenworth’s new insurance rating the District was deficient in the area of command personnel. To remedy the problem we purchased a surplus duty vehicle and senior officers started rotating duty on a weekly duty rotation with junior officers taking some weekends only.
Currently we use a different system. All senior officers rotate duty on a weekly basis. During that week the duty officer is required to be within district boundaries, respond to fire and complex emergency incidents. We will also respond out of district boundaries to assist mutual aid districts, USFS and DNR.
If a command officer is going to take vacation during his or her rotation then it is up to that individual to find a replacement by either trading shifts with another officer or by using a select few volunteers with command experience who are approved by the chief. It is also common to use command duty as training for junior officers allowing them to either ride along or by having senior officer remain in district to monitor the emergency calls. Firefighter Folden as well as other before him as been used in that mode to get more command experience.
The advantages of having duty officer rotation:
- Command personnel on duty in absence of higher authority
- Increase in experience
- Senior officer responsible in district at all times.
- Guaranteed response level
- Safety
Both of these operational programs have been running within the district for over 15 years. It is a credit to all who support these programs that we can maintain and enhance them over the years to keep our level of service to the public at such a high level.
Kelly O’Brien
Fire Chief
