Fauquier Professional Fire Fighters

Local 3762
P.O. BOX 77
Catlett, Va. 20119

July 22, 2015

Honorable members of the Fauquier County Board of Supervisors,

The Fauquier County Professional Firefighters express our deepest concern

regarding the injuries firefighters suffered at a structure fire on Sunday, July 19. Our
profession is inherently dangerous and we remain passionate about constantly improving
our system and ourselves to provide the safest environment possible. We have reached
out to the Board of Supervisors, the Department of Fire Rescue and Emergency
Management (DFREM), and the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association (VRFA) on
numerous occasions of the past few years. In these requests, we have asked for an
increase in staffing, 24 hour command staff, and a unified rank structure. While we
understand there are economic, financial, and higher prioritized variables out of anyones
control, we fear that the potential for further injuries may increase without immediate
action. We firmly believe this is an opportunity for all parties to develop a unified
solution and eradicate at least some risk to our first responders.
Over the past 5 years, every volunteer chief in Fauquier County has requested
staffing to supplement the volunteers. A majority of these requests have been denied or
delayed indefinitely. We currently operate with two career personnel in a station, and at
times, respond to working fire incidents with just those two on fire apparatus when the
national standard is a minimum of 3 per responding piece. Due to the nature of the
volunteer system, there are times when volunteers are unable to respond, resulting in an
understaffed incident. The volunteer chiefs submitted a 5 year staffing plan calling for an
increase in staffing, within two years the plan was abandoned by the board. The lack of
command supervision in our current staffing situation constantly leads to a breakdown in
the chain of command during night and weekend hours. The request has been made to
implement additional battalion chiefs to fill this void, a request that has not been filled.
Sufficient staffing directly effects responder safety, and upon the conclusion of the
investigation of this incident, we encourage every board member to thoroughly evaluate
how emergency responses are staffed and what could be changed to minimize risks.
In recent months, we have made requests that a unified rank structure be
developed and implemented. This rank structure would align the volunteer and career
responders based on certification level and experience. As of right now, every volunteer
organization requires different standards for members and officers than the qualifications

career personnel need. A solid minimum standard would provide a concrete

understanding of the capabilities of every member within the fire and rescue system. We
encourage a close look at the benefits of such an action and the health and safety risks
that would be alleviated if implemented.
In light of the recent injuries the firefighters suffered, the reality of the hazards
our jobs entail as well as the obvious risks our system and its shortcomings present, we
feel compelled to publicly request that the aforementioned issues be evaluated
meticulously. With safety concerns higher than ever, we respectfully request the board
preliminary evaluate serious risks and immediately put measures in place to resolve them
prior to the conclusion of the extension investigation. Countless concerns and requests
have been made in the past but little action has been made to mitigate these issues. Our
local is available to discuss this with DFREM, the Board of Supervisors, and the VFRA.
Respectfully,
Sam Miller
President
Fauquier County Professional Firefighters
IAFF Local 3762
president@iafflocal3762.org
(540) 327-3768

CC: Fire and Rescue Chief Thomas Billington, Local Media