CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – Horry County Fire Rescue says a growing shortage of firefighters and paramedics calls for the department to continue its mandatory overtime policy – requiring crews to work 48 hours straight.
Fire department leaders said in March that 40 incoming recruits would allow the department to throw out the overtime policy, but nearly six months later, that’s not the case.
Horry County Fire Rescue says to respond to all calls and keep community members safe, it needs 88 crew members working at all times. With current staff numbers, that’s only possible if people work multiple shifts because HCFR is short 28 people, a number that could put current crew members and the community in danger.
In October 2015, a mandatory overtime policy was implemented for crew members when Horry County experienced a paramedic shortage. In 2016, the dangers of the policy where exemplified when a medic on his second 24 hour mandatory overtime shift, fell asleep at the wheel of an ambulance and crashed into a concrete barrier.
Soon after that crash, Billy Hatchell with Florence County Emergency Management Services gave some perspective into what the lack of rest can do to a crew member.
“When you come to work at eight in the morning you’re sharp, you’re fit, you’re ready to go, but by 2 a.m. in the morning, it’s equivalent to like having a six pack of beer,” explains Hatchell.
Horry County Council Members said then they didn’t agree with the overtime policy.
“You got people out there who want to work their regular hours and don’t want to work no more hours,” said councilman Paul Prince in a 2016 interview. “It looks like we could accommodate that. They have a reason.”
So what happened to the 40 recruits who were planning to join HCFR and help do away with the extra hours?
“It’s a tough job. It’s a critical job. It’s a dangerous job. People may not just realize what they’re getting into until they get into it,” explains Captain Mark Nugent, Horry County Fire Rescue.
Captain Nugent says people leave for higher pay, other departments, and different careers, but one of the biggest problems is a generational gap. With only about half the younger recruits sticking with the profession.
The shortage puts a burden on fire rescue crews and costs taxpayers more money.
“It’s simple math. If we don’t have to pay the overtime, that’s a savings on the organization and the county, so we don’t have to do that,” says Captain Nugent. “We’d rather have that full staffing and those 28 positions filled. That’s what we’re hoping for. We’ll keep recruiting and we’ll also recruit to try to make sure we’re bringing the right folks in.”
Captain Nugent says they’re changing up their recruiting techniques and trying to get into high schools more so they can find out early whether or not a person will stick with the program and be worth the investment for training.
The seasoned firefighter says the department has 30 new recruits coming in on September 18. Now the challenge will be keeping them within the department.