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Sedona Fire District Chief Responds

Sedona Fire Chief Nazih M. Hazime

Dear Citizens:

There is a salary list which is currently being distributed around the Fire District.  This document and contents were not provided by the Sedona Fire District (SFD). 

This document is false, manipulated, misleading, and also violates employees’ privacy. 

Our employees’ pay includes many different types of compensation including uniform allowance, per diems and vacation buyback.

It also includes non-district deployments, which is not even paid by SFD.  All of these types of compensation are industry standard practice and are not at all unique to SFD.  We certainly want to provide accurate information and this can only come from me and the Sedona Fire District.   

The Fire Chief and Executive Team of Sedona Fire District closely monitor earnings for all staff.  The following individual earnings categories are independent of each other and would never be combined as individual’s earnings. 

These categories are very different and are projected and budgeted as independent line items for cost accounting management.  Some of the items are of no cost to the tax payers such as the non- district overtime and reimbursement for taxable expenses.  The misleading document circulating does not show the breakdown of every line item as described below.   

Base Wages
Salary schedules are developed based on industry comparables with other like fire service agencies. 

Administration Overtime
This overtime includes:  special projects, meeting deadlines, and emergency repairs for apparatus and communication infrastructure, etc.  The Fire Chief, the Executive Team, and the Division Managers are exempt from overtime.

Backfill Overtime
This overtime is to maintain our mandatory minimum staffing.  We have a maximum operational daily staffing of 24 firefighters and a minimum of 20 operational firefighters.  If the number drops below 20, there is an automated call back system that will allow us to bring the number back up to 20.  We maintain a certain number of time-off, per day, to minimize callbacks. 

If you look at any agency that provides a 24/7/365 operation with mandatory minimum staffing requirements such as police departments, sheriff offices, hospitals among others, they will have overtime budgets. 

Discretionary Overtime
This overtime includes mandatory recertification for our Emergency Medical Services, Wild land Firefighting, Technical Rescue, etc.  This also allows for discretionary overtime related to special projects and training.  This overtime is only approved based on the Fire District’s needs and if the training cannot be accomplished while on duty.

Non-District Overtime
The overtime is 100% reimbursement to the Fire District for personnel sent to fight out-of-district wild land fires and /or coverage for those out-of-district wild land assignments.  This includes a Contractual agreement between Sedona Fire District and the Arizona State Land Department, which governs our participation in this regional response effort.  This regional resource would also assist the 168 square miles of the Sedona Fire District, if requested.

Benefit Earnings
This includes longevity pay, vacation leave, or sick leave payouts (for over the cap payouts at separation or annual requests for leave buy back – all paid at current hourly base rate).

Reimbursable Taxable Expenses
This is taxable income to reimburse certain employees for cell phone bills, lunch per diems at non-SFD sponsored training, uniform allowance for required protective gear or standard uniforms.

We cannot ignore or remove the risks associated with the fire service; however, we certainly can be prepared and proactive in managing and being fiscally responsible to the Sedona Fire District and the community we serve. 

For the facts, please contact the Sedona Fire District at 928-282-6800 and don’t be misinformed about your fire district.
     
Nazih M. Hazime
Fire Chief, Sedona Fire District

www.Sedonafire.org 

6 Comments

  1. Cole Greenberg says:

    “violates employees’ privacy.” With regard to compensation, employees of publicly-funded organizations should have no privacy. We, the people who pay all of the bills for the SFD, are entitled to know where our money goes! If that offends anyone, let them go out and get a job elsewhere. Several years ago, when our fire district elected to run off all of the fine volunteers who had performed so excellently on our behalf, we lost control of our emergency fire and medical services. Beware! We are getting organized and we will take back the control of our emergency services!

  2. Carol Rizzi says:

    Please give us additional facts such as the wages paid to the SFD employees. If you would like to set the record straight them post salaries on your website. You work for the people of Sedona. The budget ballooned in the past 10 years due to the collusion between some of the relationships of the Board members and the fire department personel. This has been published in the past. The people of Sedona are paying too much in taxes for our services. The uproar over the SFD budget must be resolved.

  3. Priorities says:

    The average household in Sedona spends $45-$55 dollars a month on fire and EMS taxes. This money covers both structure fire and emergency medical responses. It also helps protect Sedona from wildfires which are a constant threat every summer. Basic cable TV in Sedona starts at $50.19, the internet is another $29.95. There is a break down in priorities when one complains bitterly about vitally important public services but gladly give away our money to watch mind numbing reality TV and surf YouTube videos. I know that someone told you horror stories about SFD, but the truth is simple. You currently pay the lowest mil-levy in the state and receive the best prehospital medical care available in the world. Do some research to look for the facts. Don’t go looking for fact to support your opinions. Times are hard for everyone right now but please don’t risk community safety to save yourself $20 dollars a month. The next 911 call may be yours. Also a full wage scale can be found here.
    http://www.sedonafire.org/PDF/FY%202010%20Pay%20Schedule%20V3.pdf

  4. Jack Erceg says:

    It would be interesting to see the total labor cost/year (figures from 2009) as compared to the total cost of operating the Sedona Fire Dept. (2009) & then the percentage. These figures need to be compared to other cities about the Sedona area.
    Would also be interesting to see the cost of overtime for the entire year of 2009 and then broken down by job category. Then there needs to be a comparison to other nearby cities, i.e. Flagstaff, Prescott, Cottonwood, etc.
    Assuming that Step 1..Step 2…Step 3 represent year 1…year 2…year 3 , etc.
    If this assumption is correct, the salary increase each year has been averaging 5%? Isn’t this a bit out of line? Another question immediately pops up and that is why does every employee get a 5% salary increase? Would expect some to receive 2%, some 3%, some 4%, and some at the max. of 5%…yearly increases are supposed to be adjusted according to performance of the individual and not an across the board increase no matter what the performance level is.
    The estimated cost for fire protection in Sedona is approx. $115/person per month or $1,205/year/person and that equates to about $3,012 for an average household size of 2.5 people. That’s better than $250/month per household. I am not sure where the writer of the above comment gets $45-$55/month for the average household. If the writer were correct, the total amount of tax money going toward the SFD would equal just $2.65 million, whereas the budget is over $13 million. (numbers based on average household size of 2.5 people and 11,000 residents in the greater Sedona area)
    Most do not take the time to determine accuracy of computations…I do! Numbers don’t lie…people do!

  5. Priorities says:

    Mr. Erceg
    I got the figures from looking at a real tax bill from a home is Sedona worth $400,000 , which is just above average for home prices in the area. If you we’re to find your 2010 tax bill you would see the the actual amount you paid to SFD. Unless your home is worth a million dollars you did not pay $3,012. I did not just divide the estimated city population by the SFD budget as it appears you did. Also you are not taking into account the population of the Village of Oak Creek, Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona Pines, Loop Road and other out lying areas. As a fire district SFD covers a geographic area not just the City of Sedona. The broad numbers you are using also do not take into account the commercial properties that are worth millions of dollars. The commercial properties account for a huge amount of the taxes collected by SFD. You are right in your assertions that numbers do not lie, but please take the time to use the right ones.

  6. Abe Koniarsky says:

    I found that this posting is still valid considering the ads that have appeared in our local paper recently.
    Abe Koniarsky
    Sedona, AZ

    Sedona Fire District Chief Responds
    Guest Writer / August 31, 2010 / 5 Comments

    Sedona Fire Chief Nazih M. Hazime
    Dear Citizens:

    There is a salary list which is currently being distributed around the Fire District. This document and contents were not provided by the Sedona Fire District (SFD).

    This document is false, manipulated, misleading, and also violates employees’ privacy.

    Our employees’ pay includes many different types of compensation including uniform allowance, per diems and vacation buyback.

    It also includes non-district deployments, which is not even paid by SFD. All of these types of compensation are industry standard practice and are not at all unique to SFD. We certainly want to provide accurate information and this can only come from me and the Sedona Fire District.

    The Fire Chief and Executive Team of Sedona Fire District closely monitor earnings for all staff. The following individual earnings categories are independent of each other and would never be combined as individual’s earnings.

    These categories are very different and are projected and budgeted as independent line items for cost accounting management. Some of the items are of no cost to the tax payers such as the non- district overtime and reimbursement for taxable expenses. The misleading document circulating does not show the breakdown of every line item as described below.

    Base Wages
    Salary schedules are developed based on industry comparables with other like fire service agencies.

    Administration Overtime
    This overtime includes: special projects, meeting deadlines, and emergency repairs for apparatus and communication infrastructure, etc. The Fire Chief, the Executive Team, and the Division Managers are exempt from overtime.

    Backfill Overtime
    This overtime is to maintain our mandatory minimum staffing. We have a maximum operational daily staffing of 24 firefighters and a minimum of 20 operational firefighters. If the number drops below 20, there is an automated call back system that will allow us to bring the number back up to 20. We maintain a certain number of time-off, per day, to minimize callbacks.

    If you look at any agency that provides a 24/7/365 operation with mandatory minimum staffing requirements such as police departments, sheriff offices, hospitals among others, they will have overtime budgets.

    Discretionary Overtime
    This overtime includes mandatory recertification for our Emergency Medical Services, Wild land Firefighting, Technical Rescue, etc. This also allows for discretionary overtime related to special projects and training. This overtime is only approved based on the Fire District’s needs and if the training cannot be accomplished while on duty.

    Non-District Overtime
    The overtime is 100% reimbursement to the Fire District for personnel sent to fight out-of-district wild land fires and /or coverage for those out-of-district wild land assignments. This includes a Contractual agreement between Sedona Fire District and the Arizona State Land Department, which governs our participation in this regional response effort. This regional resource would also assist the 168 square miles of the Sedona Fire District, if requested.

    Benefit Earnings
    This includes longevity pay, vacation leave, or sick leave payouts (for over the cap payouts at separation or annual requests for leave buy back – all paid at current hourly base rate).

    Reimbursable Taxable Expenses
    This is taxable income to reimburse certain employees for cell phone bills, lunch per diems at non-SFD sponsored training, uniform allowance for required protective gear or standard uniforms.

    We cannot ignore or remove the risks associated with the fire service; however, we certainly can be prepared and proactive in managing and being fiscally responsible to the Sedona Fire District and the community we serve.

    For the facts, please contact the Sedona Fire District at 928-282-6800 and don’t be misinformed about your fire district.

    Nazih M. Hazime
    Fire Chief, Sedona Fire District

    http://www.Sedonafire.org

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