Ocean City Fire Chief Offers Plan for Revenue and Training

Ocean City Fire Chief Chris Breunig on Thursday proposed reallocating three firefighting positions to bring new revenue to the city and to provide better training and community education.

Breunig's suggestions were part of a City Council workshop on public safety held as part of the 2014 budget process. He and Police Chief Chad Callahan made presentations to City Council explaining current staffing and operations and plans for the future.

Breunig's plan calls for the creation of three new positions: fire inspector, training officer and a community education coordinator.

Fire inspections are currently handled by the state, which keeps all revenue from associated fees. Breunig estimates that after a break-even 2014 (because of training and launch costs), fire inspections could bring in as much as $200,000 annually by 2016.

The training officer would be in charge of leading all education programs for Ocean City Fire Department personnel.

The community education coordinator would teach fire safety in the schools and among community groups, businesses and through the media — with the goal of fire prevention. Among other duties, the person also would be in charge of training the community in the use of defibrillators, one of the most effective tools in surviving heart attacks.

Each of the department's 20-member platoons would lose one position for some shifts, according to the plan. The proposal could lead to one fewer engine being staffed for part of the year.

"We're not losing them to the suppression end of it," Breunig said. "They will be available to drop what they're doing."

Breunig also proposed cutting an estimated $400,000 2013 overtime budget through the use of a seasonal part-time employee.

Councilman Scott Ping, who with Councilman Keith Hartzell had called for more dramatic staffing changes, called the proposal "a step in the right direction."

"It's what we've been looking for," Ping said.

Because the presentations ran so long, the two-hour workshop was adjourned before public comment could be made, but Council President Tony Wilson said a second workshop would be scheduled (with a date likely announced by the Nov. 21 council meeting).

Wilson said there will be "ample time for everyone to adequately vet" the proposal.

See the full presentations:

• Ocean City Fire and Rescue Services
• Ocean City Beach Patrol
• Federal Government Surplus
• Ocean City Police Services