Brookline At Odds Over New Fire Department Staffing Plan

BROOKLINE, MA — The town announced its plans to implement a new staffing structure for the fire department on Tuesday, July 1.

The new "flexible" style will allow for the fire chief to operate with more discretion related to overtime. Under the current system, if the personnel count on a given day falls below 29, the positions must be filled with overtime pay. The new system would allow the minimum personnel amount be reduced to 23 before overtime workers would have to supplement absences.

“In practice, based on current leave use patterns, actual staffing would exceed the 23-person level 80 percent of the time, and would still meet National Fire Protection Association standards 100 percent of the time,” Town Administrator Chas Carey said in a statement.

According to the town, the new model is projected to save at least $1.5 million per year, and reducing costs will prevent layoffs in the future.

Brookline Firefighters of IAFF Local 950 have spoken out in opposition to this change, describing it as a “reckless staffing cut.”

“Local 950 believes that this is a dangerous precedent of unilateral action that violates labor law and undermines the collective bargaining process,” the union said.

In response, the union held a protest Tuesday morning outside of Town Hall.