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A committee to explore raises for Houma firemen is considering restructuring the department to cut down on overtime.
But representatives for the Professional Firefighters Association of Louisiana Houma Local 1405, essentially the Houma firefighters’ union, said they would resist restructuring because that isn’t what local firemen are after.
The committee, which consists of Terrebonne Parish Councilmembers Arlanda Williams, Greg Hood, and Christa-Duplantis Prather, met with PFAL representatives Thursday for the second time since the issue was first brought up in May.
Councilman John Navy is also a member of the council, but was not present.
Terry Leonard, president of Local 1405, emailed a report on firefighter pay to members of the Terrebonne Parish Council. The report, which councilmembers requested in June, outlines how much base pay each position in the department offers, how much firefighters make yearly and how much overtime they earn.
Overtime became a focus for the councilmembers during the meeting. According to Louisiana law, other than in times of emergency, firefighters cannot work more than 72 hours straight. But normally, Houma firefighters work 24-hour shifts. Other departments in the state work 12 hour shifts.
According to the HFD website, the department is split into three shifts. Members of each shift work at one of the five operating firehouses in Houma.
Each shift works two days a week. One shift must work the seventh day of the week, so each shift takes turns every three weeks.
That translates into every shift earning at least eight hours of overtime a week and the odd shift making 32 hours of overtime that week.
Entry-level firefighters – HFD has 21 – receive $9.44 an hour, which makes the entry level rate gross $830.72 for 72 hours worked.
The parish council has not opposed union members’ contention that the base rate for firefighters needs to be raised, but all agree the scheduling structure needs to be examined.
According to fire department officials, HFD is short two firefighters, excluding one firefighter currently in training.
Houma Fire Department Capt. Keith Ward said recruiting new firefighters is a challenge because they often seek higher paying jobs elsewhere.
Leonard told The Times the HFD not opposed to restructuring, just “not across the board.” But both Leonard and Ward said they will oppose any measure that would cut any firefighter’s pay.
“That’s not what we’ve asked for, that’s not what we came here for,” Leonard said. “That’s what they’re wanting to do, but we’re not looking to restructure all of the positions.”
