TITLE
Consider an ordinance to amend the Fire Department Classification Plan and Rank Structure.
SUMMARY
AGENDA ITEM
Amend the Fire Department Classification Plan and Rank Structure
ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT
Fire Department
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On August 13, 1977, the voters of Killeen adopted the civil service law for the police and fire departments of the City of Killeen. State law required that the City Council, upon the recommendation of the Civil Service Commission, adopt a classification plan for each department. The classification plans set forth the positions within the departments by classification (known commonly as rank) and by authorized number in each classification. Ordinance No 77-58 established the City’s first classification plan for the police and fire departments.
In 1994, the Killeen City Council passed resolution #94-29R that changed the structure of the Killeen Fire Department. The then-current classification plan and pay grade resulted in a bottleneck in the promotional plan at the position of Fire Prevention Officer (FPO) for two reasons: (1) the pay of the rank of FPO was between the Lieutenants (now Captains) and FRO rank and (2) there were a limited number of authorized positions in the FPO rank. To eliminate this bottleneck, separate career ladders for members of the Fire Prevention and Suppression Divisions were established. Under this change, there is one entry level classification of Fire Rescue Officer (FRO). From that position, a choice is exercised by the individual officer as to whether he/she would prefer advancement into Fire Suppression or Fire Prevention. Under this structure, Fire Prevention essentially becomes a limited career ladder because the only career opportunity above it is the sole position of Fire Marshal.
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION
Today, the two issues that created the bottleneck in the promotional system no longer exist. First, the issue of pay has been resolved; the pay of the FPO rank is equal t...
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