Mount Olive offers firefighters incentives
By Steve Herring
Published in News on December 28, 2015 1:46 PM
MOUNT OLIVE -- The number of firefighters responding to alarms at the all-volunteer Mount Olive Fire Department has increased by an average of more than three calls since the town implemented an incentive program two years ago.
The program that pays firefighters a token amount based on the number of calls they respond to costs less than $8,000 a year and is money well spent, said Chief Greg Wiggins and town Commissioner Joe Scott.
"What happened in 2013, I pulled some numbers," Wiggins said. "That was my first year as chief. I just wanted to see where we were. At that time, and we knew that some of our response was down, and but our average (number of) firefighters per call was 5.4. We wanted to improve that.
"With an average of five it is hard to make sure you are going to all of the trucks that you need to leave the building."
The response had improved to an average of 6.5 firefighters after the first year and this past year increased again to an average of 8.5.
After the checks that went out on Dec. 17, Wiggins said he would not be surprised to see the average continue to climb.
Wiggins said he approached Town Manager Charles Brown about a possible incentive program.
"We looked around, saw what some of the other departments were doing close by. Different ones had different incentives," Wiggins said. "He (Brown) actually started a line item in the budget for us. I think it is $7,500. That is how it got started. What we do, we pay them for response. So the more calls they answer, it (incentive amount) keeps bumping up. The minimum is 50 calls, $50. The top bracket is 150 calls, you get $250. At that time we only had two people who had answered over 150 calls. Last year was two. This year I think we had eight or nine who answered over 150 calls. But we did that (incentive) to try and generate some response.
"Then as far as training we started paying them $25 each time they went to a certification class. We pay for their motel. We pay for all of their expenses to go. But that was just a $25 bonus to go to that certification class. Then if they get their firefighter one and two certificates, that is a $250 check for getting their certificate."
Firefighters continue to receive good training at the station as well, Wiggins said.
The training is something that the state Department of Insurance looks at when rating fire departments, he said.
The lower the rating number, the better the rating and in turn that provides homeowners with a break on their homeowners insurance premiums.
Mount Olive is currently rated a four which provides an extra savings for commercial operations in the town.
"All of the insurance companies recognize down to a six for residential," Wiggins he said. "That is about as good a rate as they are going to give you. But the ones who really benefit from that (four) rating are commercial property.
"The incentive program I really feel like it is working because we are seeing our numbers increase. Last year we had 16 firefighters who received checks. This year we had 21."
Nor is it a lot of money.
"It is a token of appreciation," Wiggins said.
"The exciting thing is the enthusiasm," Scott said. "There are like one big family. They all support each other and encourage each other. That is why we have had the success. A lot of the leadership trickles down from the top. Greg has done a great job and has kept the guys enthused with these incentives. The new crash truck coming in is a party of that incentive for the guys to have something to work with when they go out on these wreck and other calamities that they have.
"The good thing about it is the spirit of this fire department. Two years ago there was hardly any and this year it is just a big turnaround. We have been really pleased. In fact, we couldn't have hired and paid a person to do what these guys have done."