LOUDONVILLE — Loudonville Fire Department Assistant Chief Brad Dilgard on Monday asked village council to address fire department staffing issues.
Dilgard gave council members a formal resignation letter from current Chief Dan Robinson, which takes effect Aug. 31.
Dilgard will become the temporary chief — a role he plans to fill until someone else can step into the part-time position. But Dilgard wants to see the position become a full-time job.
“We’re the only department in village that does not have a full time supervisor,” Dilgard said.
He said the fire department chief is in charge of addressing hard questions, applying for grants and more behind the scenes.
Dilgard said sometimes volunteer and part-time firefighters have to wait to address issues if he or Robinson are not around. Dilgard also works full time for an ambulance dealership, so he is not always immediately available.
A full time fire chief for Loudonville would make a starting annual salary of $75,000 to $80,000, Dilgard said. He came up with the number from a friend at the Newburgh Heights Fire Department, which is similar in size to Loudonville, which has a population estimated at 2,768.
However, village Fiscal Officer Jenny Wade said she doesn’t know where the village could find those funds.
Village Solicitor Thomas Gilman suggested a fee on canoes and rafts that leave the canoe liveries in town. Council members agreed they should look into the legality of such a fee.
Fire department experiencing staffing issues
The department has already lost three full-time staff this year, Dilgard said, so the department is “pretty much starting over again.”
He said volunteer firefighters are picking up some of the slack. Dilgard said volunteer firefighters are making back-to-back calls every night, and he fears they will burn out and quit as well.
As of now, the department has four full-time firefighters, six volunteer firefighters and 12 part-time firefighters.
To combat the staffing crisis, Dilgard suggested the department adopt a rotating schedule that allows for two people at the station every day, year round.
Pro-Tem President Cathy Lance supported the rotating schedule.
Dilgard is also considering having some EMTs be on call while they are at home and paying them a reduced rate.
Dilgard said the staffing issue at the fire department is not unique to Loudonville, but an issue he’s seen across the state.