Fire dept. funding OK'd

Folly Beach council approves 9 full-time firefighters, new deputy chief

Folly Beach City Council has given its Public Safety Department approval to fund positions for a deputy fire chief and nine full-time firefighters.

The vote April 22 was an important first step toward establishing a full-time fire department on the beach, according to Public Safety Director Terry Boatwright.

Council also gave Boatwright the go-ahead to advertise for these positions, so that the hiring process is under way by July 1 when the 2008-09 budget year begins.

Boatwright estimated the salaries, benefits and equipment for the positions would cost the city $558,648, about $61,000 more than the city is now spending for nine part-time contract firefighters, who work in three shifts of three at $12 per hour.

The city is spending $497,643 each year for contract firefighters' salaries, benefits, radios and overtime.

Each full-time firefighter would make about $31,500 per year. The deputy fire chief's salary would be $50,000 per year, Boatwright said.

Council previously tabled the proposal for a fire department until June after Boatwright announced that he would run for Dorchester County sheriff in the June primary. Some council members did not want to vote on Boatwright's proposal if he was going to leave the department.

However, after Boatwright again presented the merits of a full-time department at a work session before the council meeting April 22, it unanimously voted for the plan.

Councilman Dave Stormer, who previously voted to postpone hiring full-time firefighters, said he voted in favor of funding the positions because the cost was about the same as the city is paying now.

"There was no real budgetary change," Stormer said.

Stormer said if Boatwright wins the primary election in June, council may hold off on hiring full-time firefighters until a new director comes aboard.

"We did authorize the funding of the positions in order to start the process, but there was an agreement that the (final) decision would not be made until after we know if Boatwright will continue with us," Stormer said.

Folly Beach Mayor Carl Beckmann, a proponent of a full-time fire department, said he was pleased the process to hire firefighters was getting started.

Boatwright first proposed a full-time fire department last November. At that time, council was debating whether to contract with the James Island Public Service District for fire services. Council asked Boatwright to make a recommendation. He said the beach should have its own fire department.

"The city of Folly Beach would be much better served to have its own professional firefighters on staff to ensure an appropriate response to emergency situations," Boatwright recently said.

He initially proposed hiring 16 firefighters and a deputy fire chief.

"I'm pretty elated," Boatwright said after the vote. "I've been before council a number of times to build a fire department. It's the first time the beach will have full-time firefighters."

Boatwright said the contract firefighters, the dually certified public safety officers and Folly's volunteer firefighters do a great job protecting the island. However, he said, if a major fire were to occur in Charleston, the contract firefighters would be dispatched to that area, leaving the beach understaffed.

A deputy fire chief position is necessary to start building the department, Boatwright said. He said it should be a man or woman with the requisite education, training, background and experience in firefighting.