WOONSOCKET, R.I. (AP) -- Union officials are questioning a proposal by Woonsocket city leaders that would bar firefighters from having second jobs.

City leaders are concerned that recent layoffs in the fire department will put additional strain on firefighters who could face forced overtime.

City attorney Chris Lambert tells The Call of Woonsocket that moonlighting firefighters risk additional on-the-job fatigue and stress. The new rule, if approved, would take effect in April.

Firefighters union President Lt. Steve Reilly questioned whether the city has the legal authority to prohibit firefighters from moonlighting, or how the restrictions could be realistically enforced.

The city may also eliminate the policy of sending engines on rescue runs.

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Information from: The Call, http://www.woonsocketcall.com

Read the Full Story on the Call Site: Woonsocket bans firefighter moonlighting
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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The world-wide given is... paid firefighters have off-duty jobs. A great firefighter from South Africa said the very same thing in an early morning email today. We really need that second job. The money is important and a firefighter with that much time off is scary!! Good luck up there brothers and sisters.
I think that the city officials are crazy if they do this. Fire fighters do not make enough not to have a second or third job, in order to make ends meet. I can not see the big deal about sending an engine on a rescue call, if rescue is on another call and you have other medics on duty, it makes sense to send an engine to cover untill rescue can clear. This is how many departments in Maine respond!
DO YOU HAVE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING? IF THEY WANT TO BAR WHAT YOU CAN DO ON YOUR DAY OFF AND YOU HAVE TO BE READY FOR CALL BACK THEY WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT. I SAY FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS.
I agree completely that the city is overstepping their bounds. They should not be able to control what a person does in their off hours. I am wondering, though, what you all think about the IAFF prohibition on paid firefighters also serving as volunteer firefighters in other jurisdictions. I'm looking for opinions on why that is different - or not different - from the city of Woonsocket's policy?
I wonder how many city officials (non-fd members) have a second or part time job themselves?

Only when it hurts them in their wallet, maybe they would realize that this is a stupid potential rule.


Ted: Overtime is actually cheaper than keeping brothers on the payroll. So the real issue is if you are forced to stay and work OT, what is the burnout factor? Getting out of the station, whether working a part-time job or going fishing, is time away from work BS and is mentally nourishing, which in turn makes for happier employees.
Very good, Merrill.
YA KNOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT GOES THROUGH THESE ASS HOLE POLITATIONS MINDS. THE FIRST THING THEY THINK OF IS ELEMINATION FIRE JOBS. IM A VOLUNTEER FROM NEW YORK BUT IT BURNS MY BUT THAT THESE POLITATIONS WOULD PUT THE PUBLIC IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION BY ELEMINATING FIREFIGHTERS. TOM S.
well i remember growing up in woonsocket and the bros and sisters there have always had part time jobs on there days off hell most if not all the politicans have side jobs there why should the ff be treated any diffrent that town has always been messed up anyways they are 20 years behind times and try to be a big city but that neither here nor there all i know is is that he city has it all messed up up there bring all the ff back and there wont be any problum if the politications were doing there jobs (not there side jobs) woonsocket wouldnt be in this mess to begin with and if they paid enough the ff wouldnt have to have a side job to take care of there familys
Chief, Try to control yourself. Your understatement leaves me LOL.
Well, regardless of whether or not the city bans it, how can they track it? Many firefighters not only have second jobs, but many of those jobs are off the books. So with technically no reported second income, what an the city do about moonlighting? Nothing......the city has no leg to stand on.......

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