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OVERWORKED AREA AND >> THE OVERTIME ISSUE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS NEW, IT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE THAT WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR OVER A DECADE. LOWELL: WHILE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE PROBLEM ISN’T NEW. CITY OFFICIALS WANT IT SOLVED. THE CITY’S OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE RECENTLY REVEALED, THE DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY SPENT ITS ALMOST $11.2 MILLION OVERTIME BUDGET FOR 201 THE DEPARTMENT IS REQUIRED TO FILL 371 POSITIONS TO MAKE SURE THE CITY IS SAFE AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CONTRIBUTING FACTORS AS TO WHY SO MUCH OVERTIME IS NEEDED. >> THEM AN BE SCHEDULED VACATION DAYS, SICK LEAVE, MEMBERS WHO ARE ON FMLA OR HAVE A SCHEDULED DAY OFF FOR THAT MATTER. >> WE HAVE TO BUILD AND PRACTICES IN PLACE SO THE AGENCIES CAN FUNCTION PROPERLY AND KEEP THE CITIZENS SAFE. LOWELL: COUNCILMAN BRANDON SCOTT HEAD OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IS CALLING ON THE MAYOR AND FIRE CHIEF TO FIGURE OUT A BETTER WAY TO MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK WITH LESS OVERTIME. >> IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT IF WE ARE TAKING FIRE PEOPLE OFF FIRE APPARATUS AND PAYING PEOPLE OVERTIME, WITH THE CONVERSATION WE SHOULD BE HAVING IS AROUND INCREASING OUR MEDICS AND WE ARE NOT HAVING THAT CONVERSATION. WE NEED TO HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES SO THEY CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. LOWELL: A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE FIRE FIGHTER’S LOCAL 734 SAY THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS WHEN FIRE STATIONS ACTUALLY HAVE TO CLOSE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE PARAMEDIC POSITIONS ARE FULLY STAFFED. HE TOLD US OVER THE PHONE WE NEED TO GET MORE FULL TIME EMS STAFF TO RELIEVE THE PRESSURE ON CERTAIN FIREHOUSES, THAT IS A REAL PUBLIC SAFETY ISSU THE MAYOR’S OFFICE DID NOT RETURN OUR REQUEST FOR AN INTERVIEW. THIS ISSUE IS FAR FROM OVER AS THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE WILL BE HOLDING ANOTHER MEETING WITH FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS ON APRIL 2 AT CITY HAL

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A new report shows the Baltimore City Fire Department has spent its entire fiscal year 2019 overtime budget with still three months to go.While the fire department says blowing through its overtime budget is nothing new, members of the city's public safety committee say there is no accountability being taken and Mayor Catherine Pugh and the fire chief need to figure out a better way to operate the fire department, so its members aren't so overworked."We have to build the practices in place so the agencies can function properly and keep the citizens safe," said Councilman Brandon Scott. Scott, head of the Public Safety Committee, has some tough words for city leaders when it comes to the fire department's overtime budget."We feel like the administration has lacked on the accountability measures that used to be there in the past with city staff, so we've had to step in and increase our oversight to try and hold the agencies as accountable as possible from our role," Scott said.At a recent oversight hearing, it was revealed that the department spent through its almost $11.2 million overtime budget for 2019 and there are still three months left.The overtime issue isn't something that's new quite frankly it's been an issue that we've been dealing with for over a decade," said Blair Adams, spokesperson of the Baltimore City Fire Department. Adams told reporters that going over the overtime budget is nothing new to the city.The department is required to daily fill 371 positions to ensure the city is safe. There are a number of contributing factors as to why so much overtime is needed."There may be a scheduled vacation day, sick leave, members who are on FMLA even have a scheduled day off for that matter," said Adams. Scott is calling on the mayor and fire chief to figure out a better way to make the system work with less overtime."It's very clear for taking fire people off fire apparatus and paying overtime the conversation should be having is around increasing our medic tax, because that's what's driving it and we're not having that conversation that we need to have the accountability of measures in place so we can have those conversations," said Scott. A representative from the Firefighter's Local 734 says the biggest issue is when fire stations actually have to close in order to make sure paramedic positions are fully staffed. He told us over the phone, "We need to get more full time EMS Staff to relieve the pressure on certain firehouses, that is a real public safety issue."Pugh's office did not return our request for an interview. The Public Safety Committee will hold another oversight hearing on the fire department on April 2.