By Kyle LoJacono
Pasco County Fire Chief Anthony Lopinto finds himself in an unusual situation — his department can’t afford not to hire new staffers.
The strange budget situation is a result of cutting positions three years ago. Since then, Lopinto’s employees have been working more overtime to fill the staffing gap.
The additional hours depleted the department’s entire $450,000 overtime budget midway through May, draining the pot four months before the end of the fiscal year.
Lopinto has requested the county commissioners to add 11 new firefighters, which will cost $690,000.
“We’re not asking for an increase in staffing,” Lopinto said. “We just want to be back at the level we were at a few years ago. This would bring us back to that number.”
Lopinto has been using what he called “residual salary” funds to pay for overtime the last few weeks. That money is available because his department has unfilled positions. He said he doesn’t want to cut emergency responders from three to two per call, but that may be needed if there is no solution.
“We always want at least three responders on every call because it reduces the risk of accidents with two people watching everyone’s back,” Lopinto said. “It would be the last resort.”
County Commissioner Pat Mulieri said she and the other four board members “support adding staff” to Lopinto’s department.
“We have to do something,” Mulieri said. “Adding what he’s asking for is the right move.”
Mulieri said the county would spend about $200,000 less on overtime by hiring the 11 staffers.
The department needs 117 staffers to cover the entire county, Lopinto said. Overtime would come into play if anyone calls in sick or is on vacation. The fire chief said it will take about six months to train any new employees.
The fire department originally lost 33 positions in 2009, seven of which were vacant. The county allowed Lopinto to hire 15 in 2010.
The fire service’s budget comes from property value taxes, which has been dropping since 2009.
Mulieri said they would likely increase the rate by 8 percent. County residents would pay an additional $12 per year for every $100,000 of taxable value, which is the price of an estate minus the homestead exemption.
