Amador County – The Amador Fire Protection District board of directors on Tuesday directed staff to work on expanding paid training to District fire fighting and engineer employees.

Amador County Supervisors, who make up the AFPD board, voted unanimously to direct staff to develop policy to have reimbursement for employees that meets the level of reimbursement that volunteers get. The direction also asked staff to create a list of classes that qualify for reimbursement.

Supervisors modified a resolution on the “education allowance training program.” Volunteers currently get reimbursed up to 50 percent of costs for training related to the work. Supervisors discussed potential impacts from improved skills through training on making personnel more attractive to other agencies.

Supervisor Chairman Louis Boitano said if we provide training, then they leave, he saw it as an issue. AFPD Battalion Chief Dave Bellerive said current engineer positions need certification and new fire fighters need it too, including volunteers and full-time staff.

Supervisor Vice Chairman Richard Forster said if they add college level education, it can make fire fighters better candidates for jobs or better qualified. He said they had the same problem with the Sheriff’s department. They get trained, stay through a 6-month probationary period, then leave.

Bellerive said it makes a better fire fighter to have them get EMT training.

Plasse asked about a budget line item of $6,000 in training costs, and noted that Measure M budget detail increased from $1,500 to $16,000 a year. He said Fire District employees attend classes with no compensation, but volunteers do get that.

Bellerive said volunteers pay 100% to get trained, then AFPD would pay up to 50% of the cost, for fire-related classes.

Forster said asked if it would be better to require that employee must have the class pre-approved for reimbursement, and asked about fire science classes.

Bellerive said the want them to take the classes if they want to, and with deadlines to sign up, the district office may be closed, hindering sign-ups. He said they have to take the class and pass it to get reimbursed.

Bellerive said fire science in some way or fashion relates to fire fighting or AFPD. He said trainees will not be doing investigating at the scene, but anyone who goes to the scene should observe where fire has been, where going, where it has been, and other characteristic, to help preserve the scene.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.