HAMILTON, NJ (GovWire) - Hamilton Township Committee members have approved a new pay per run program for volunteer firefighters. The program, which was discussed during a recent committee meeting, will compensate volunteers for each run they sign in on.
The program was introduced by Speaker 10, who stated that they did an average of the last three years of calls for Mays Landing, Lawndale, Weymouth, and Cologne and came up with a pay per run program. The program will cost a total of $53,200 for the budget of 2024.
During the meeting, Speaker 2, who is also a former volunteer firefighter, spoke about the challenges of recruiting and retaining volunteers. He stated that the requirements for becoming a volunteer firefighter have become more stringent over the years, making it more difficult to attract new members. He also mentioned that the program is a “jumping-off point” to see how it works and where they can go from there.
Speaker 8 agreed that the program is long overdue and that thanking the firefighters for their time and effort is no longer enough. He stated that this is a great first step and that the committee can revisit the program as time goes on.
Speaker 14, however, expressed some reservations about the program, stating that they were not sure if $5 per call was enough. They also mentioned that they would like to see how the program is enforced.
Despite these concerns, the committee ultimately approved the program, with Speaker 2 stating that they hope to have an ordinance in place by the end of the year.
The new pay per run program is a significant step towards supporting and incentivizing volunteer firefighters in Hamilton Township. It remains to be seen how the program will be received by the volunteer firefighters and how it will impact recruitment and retention in the long term.
This article generated by GovWire AI.
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