Purpose:

To establish guidelines outlining the minimum staffing requirements for the stations utilizing career personnel and transferring of personnel to meet established staffing levels.

Policy:

Staffing of the stations utilizing career personnel shall be accomplished as described below:

Normal assignment shall consist of two career personnel at each station and a captain that will float between the two stations as required. Minimum career staffing shall not fall below five career personnel.

One career person shall be released to handle a mutual aid incident in Augusta or Nelson County, as long as there are four remaining personnel on property for a Wintergreen Incident. If a career person is returning from an incident, he or she may respond to the Nelson County call if they are within a reasonable response to the scene. Depending on the location of the returning career person, the Shift Captain may release a second career person to handle the Augusta or Nelson County incident.

In the case of a Fire Incident or Technical Rescue, both personnel will be released to handle the call. One person from the opposing station shall automatically transfer quarters.

If the incident is within the dual response zone with Rockfish Fire and Rescue, resources available from the Valley Station may respond to that call. In this situation, there must be at least two career providers or appropriately trained volunteers on property for a Wintergreen Incident, at which point, one provider will transfer quarters if necessary.

Administrative Personnel do not account for minimum staffing levels. Administrative Personnel may use their judgment when responding to mutual aid incidents.

If no volunteer is on the schedule for the day then the Captain of that shift shall try to find an available volunteer driver/EMT by phone. If that is not successful then the Captain shall have Wintergreen Dispatch tone for any available volunteer. If no response then that crew will be at minimum staffing for the time period that no volunteer is on duty.

The Shift Captain will notify the appropriate Emergency Communication Center on the operational frequency advising them that Wintergreen Fire and/or Rescue is at minimum staffing, asking them to tone again for additional volunteers, and place second due on the incident.

When career staffing at a station falls below minimum requirements, temporary reassignments may become necessary. The Shift Captains shall coordinate station reassignments.

Dispatch shall be notified via radio of an unmanned station.