Go for a ride along
I would like to comment on the Nov. 4 letter, "Privatize firefighting." Being a former private-industry firefighter, I might have a little more knowledge on the subject than the earlier writer.
He implied that municipal firefighters don't work as many hours as the private sector. He was right. They work more! The average work week for an employee is 40 hours a week. On a firefighter's schedule, the work week is 56 hours. They have to work 16 hours more a week.
As of Nov. 5, the Bakersfield Fire Department has gone on 23,333 calls this year. That averages out to a call every 20 minutes. By simple math, one can see that throughout the night there are firefighters responding to emergencies and serving the public. Obviously, the firefighter getting paid to sleep is an overstated generality.
The 24-hour shift schedule is the most economical way to staff the fire department. Currently the staffing level for a single engine fire station is nine personnel. To staff the same station with three shifts of eight hours would require double the people (18). This is the only way to maintain the minimum staffing level at three firefighters a day and allow for the employees to have their two days off per week. A standard work week would just not be cost effective for fire service purposes.
Firefighters are happy to answer any questions from the public they serve. Better yet, go for a ride along and experience what they do.
BILL MACAULEY
Bakersfield
