YORKTOWN, Va. — While it's a three-day weekend for some, others are still on the clock.
"We have a 48-hour on, 48-hour off, 144-hour pay period. So every two weeks, we work 144 hours. 72 hours a week is what it’s supposed to be," said Tim Welsh.
"Key word is 'supposed,'" he laughed.
Welsh is President of the Tidewater Federal Firefighters Local F-25, a union representing more than 300 firefighters who serve the naval installations in Hampton Roads. He said staffing challenges for the region's firefighters are not new, but they've grown to a difficult point, highlighted by their Memorial Day staffing.
This weekend, Welsh took to the Union's Facebook page to share the challenges they're going through, drafting the following message with a "Sorry We're Closed" picture:
"66 firefighters SHORT in Hampton Roads this weekend! Multiple stations closed, and apparatus cross staffed. Sure hope Norfolk fire & Rescue, Portsmouth Fire & Rescue and York County Fire & Rescue are staffed up this weekend."
“'66 short' means we’re working with 66 people on their normal off day. They’re working 24 hours of overtime on days they’re supposed to be home with their families," Welsh said. "Enjoying time with their families, recitals, going to doctors appointments, the things you and everyone else would schedule on your days off.”
Local F-25 oversees several districts:
- Naval Station Norfolk (District 1)
- Naval Weapons Station Yorktown (District 2)
- Portsmouth (District 2)
- Oceana/ Dam Neck (District 3)
- JEB Little Creek/ Fort Story (District 3)
Welsh noted that there are 118 filled firefighter positions across the region's military installations on a given day, so being "short" 66 puts them in a tough position, from a scheduling standpoint.
"In District 1, where we have the largest naval base in the world, 40 people short, with 20 each day," Welsh said.
The shortage led to certain installations not being operational over the weekend, including "Fire Station 14" at NWSY being shut down with some of that staff moving to other areas to fill the need.
Welsh also noted that overtime hours this past January were similar to what they've seen for July, a month where more people are unavailable because of travel and vacation.
"We’re not going to be at our best, not physically capable," he said.