12:00pm | After saving some $40 million following a pension reform enacted last October in conjunction with the Firefighter’s Association (FFA), the City of Long Beach announced the creation of a lateral fire academy in order to replenish fire staffing and to reduce the reliance on long-term callback overtime.
The announcement comes following a hiring freeze which covered unfulfilled positions via overtime with existing employees; currently, 24 of these vacant positions are filled with overtime. The creation of a lateral academy permits new firefighters to come in — giving the City a full fire staff — but at a more affordable pension plan.
“Maintaining full staffing is important, and we are able to accomplish this within our existing budget.” said Fire Chief Alan Patalano. “We will start the processes to hire new firefighters immediately, with the goal of completing the academy this summer.”
Previously trained, experienced, and qualified firefighters from other agencies can complete a lateral academy in eight weeks, whereas a standard recruit academy lasts 16 weeks. A lateral academy could start in about four months and is already included in the Fire Department’s FY 2012 budget. New firefighters will come into the City under the new pension reform agreement, paying their full employee share of pension costs and at a reduced pension benefit formula that is more fiscally sustainable.