An overtime deficit of $1.8 million is being projected by Windsor Fire and Rescue Services.
The fire department’s total deficit projection is $1.45 million, according to a report going to the executive council committee on Monday.
The $1.8-million overtime deficit is offset by a $470,000 surplus in salary gapping and recruiting class costs.
“We knew overtime was a risk,” says Windsor CAO Helga Reidel. “It was in the very first report we did, but it's worse obviously than we thought it would be.”
The 2015 projected average number of daily overtime shifts is 3.5 and will cost the division about $5,208 a day for overtime.
“They did mitigate it through different strategies, but still running well over,” says councillor Jo-Anne Gignac. “It's just not sustainable.”
The report cites maintaining staffing levels as the department shifts to a 42 hour work week and absenteeism as contributing factors.
Fire management has taken steps to monitor and reduce overtime, but minimum vehicle staffing requirements must be maintained, says the report.
