Part A:
Purpose:
The purpose of the Career Specialization Program is to provide the path to improve skills, enhance productivity, evaluate performance, promote professional growth, as well as job satisfaction in the Fire service. This concept is further designed to provide compensation for additional training in specialized areas. The CEP is an alternative career path which, as designed, will assist retaining as well as creating highly motivated and multi-skilled firefighters. The net result will be a more effective and diverse Fire & Rescue Operations Department to serve the community and an economic asset to the City of Toledo.
Program entry:
The Career Enhancement Program is open to any firefighter who meets the following minimum entry qualifications:
1) Worked a minimum of thirty-six (36) months from the date of the appointment to the Fire & Rescue Operations Department.
2) Concurrence by the CEP Committee (defined herein).
3) All firefighters who wish to be placed within the program for the current year must submit their respective application to the CEP Committee for review and verification between December 1 and December 31 each year. Points shall be based upon achievement as of December 31.
Movement of a firefighter into one of the CEP point levels shall not be considered as a promotion under the City Charter or Civil Service rules. Specialist designations shall not be included in Section 2125.02 “Classifications”.
It shall be the full responsibility of the member to properly complete the application form (as established) as well as to provide such documentation materials, which will enable the CEP Committee to make a determination.
Documentation for specialty assignments shall include, but not be limited to, the following: Assignment record or supervisory memorandum showing service of three (3) months in the specialty assignment during the calendar year being reviewed. Documentation for academic accomplishments shall be by diploma or certified transcript.
Compensation:
1) Compensation for successful completion of any step contained in this program shall be defined in the Collective Bargaining agreement and shall be automatic.
2) Firefighters will qualify for the program after January 1, 2003.
3) Payment shall be based upon the following conversion factor: Each point is worth fifty-one percent (51%) of the TPPA CEP compensation amount divided by the total number of TFRD CEP points. For these purposes, the parties have agreed to the proportion of fifty-one percent (51%) of TPPA CEP payments. Once the total amount for the payments for TPPA members for 2003, 2004 and 2005 is known, fifty-one percent (51%) of that amount shall be allocated for the TFF Local 92 CEP for those years.
4) Payment for each year of eligibility will occur in April of the following year in a lump sum payment by special check based upon the appropriate percentage of the base annual full rate effective in January of the prior year. Firefighters who leave the City in good standing during the year, work three (3) months of the year and are eligible for a point total of two (2) or more CEP points shall be eligible, upon application, for a lump sum payment equal to a one (1) point share.
5) Each member shall be paid for points earned in the preceding year.
6) For the purposes of rates of pay, the financial incentives established in the CEP plan shall not be added to the member base wage rate.
7) Points shall be capped at three (3). This includes combined points from education, specialty assignments and specialty.
Application criteria:
An applicant should fill out the complete CEP application for consideration for entry into the program.
Education:
Points are not cumulative for degrees and must be from a college/university accredited by an appropriate accrediting association of colleges and universities. The maximum points allowed for a formal education shall be two (2) and shall apply at a time of completion.
Advanced Degree | 2.0 pts |
Bachelor’s Degree | 1.5 pts |
Fire Science Associate Degree | 1.5 pts |
EMS Technology Degree | 1.5 pts |
Associate's Degree | 1.0 pts |
Specialty Assignments: | |
Specialty | Assigned |
Arson | 2.0 |
Diver | 2.0 |
Diver not assigned | 1.0 |
Assigned First Driver* | 2.0 |
Driver (Rescue, Hvy Squad & Second)* | 1.0 |
HazMat | 2.0 |
HazMat not assigned | 1.0 |
Confined Space | 2.0 |
Confined Space Not Assigned | 1.0 |
Boat Operator (Captain) | 2.0 |
Boat Operator First Mate | 1.0 |
Paramedic with 6 yrs. in program | 0.5 |
Senior Firefighter who has completed 15 continuous yrs. of service with TFRD prior to Dec. 31 of year being reviewed | 1.0 |
CISM (Critical Incident Stress Mgmt.) | 1.0 |
* It is understood and agreed upon that at various times, members other than those designated as drivers may be required to drive fire apparatus and will not be considered a specialist. Drivers for these purposes includes those members driving engines or trucks or their equivalent. Second driver shall be designated utilizing the same designation procedure employed by first drivers.
** Denotes specialties to be established by Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee.
*** A Senior Firefighter is one who has completed their 15th year of continuous service with the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department by December 31st of the year being reviewed.
Instructors: | |
Specialty | Assigned |
Fire service instructor (state certified) | 1.0 pt. |
EMT instructor (state certified) | 1.0 pt. |
CPR instructor (certified) | 1.0 pt. |
Any change in point allocations must be by mutual agreement.
CEP Committee:
The Committee shall be composed of six (6) representatives: three (3) from Local #92 and three (3) from the Toledo Fire & Rescue Administration. Any expansion of the Committee shall be by agreement of the parties. The Committee shall serve to review CEP applications under the terms set forth herein and in the collective bargaining agreement. If the Committee is unable to agree upon a particular CEP Application or Educational Reimbursement Request, the matters shall be resolved by the Chief of Toledo Fire & Rescue in conjunction with the current Local #92 President and a third party selected from a previously agreed to panel of three (3). The Committee shall undertake such other studies and activities as are agreed upon by the parties consistent with the purpose of the program. Any recommendations of the Committee that impact wages, hours, or terms and conditions of employment shall be subject to agreement by the Union.
Part B:
The City shall provide all equipment, materials, forms and texts necessary for training programs established programs and special programs of the Department in sufficient quantity as to afford each member of the program equal opportunity for usage.
Qualifications, if any, for entry into special programs shall be established by the Joint Apprenticeship Training committee. Special programs established in the future shall have qualifications and standards, if any, established prior to implementation.
Any member in a special program agrees to remain in the program for a minimum of five (5) years. Any member in a special program agrees, if assigned, to remain for a minimum of three (3) years in the special unit unless said specialty unit is relocated. In this case, the member would remain on his/her primary unit but would still fall under the five (5) year limitation stated above.
This time frame may be waived because of promotions, medical reasons, or mutual agreement of the member and the Chief.
The Career Enhancement Program is in effect as the City has proceeded with civilianization in the Department of Fire & Rescue Operations.
(Ord. 463-03. Passed 5-27-03.)