Borough of Maywood, NJ Chapter 21 Emergency Service Volunteers

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Maywood as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]

Article I Length of Service Award Program

[Adopted 6-27-2000 by Ord. No. 10-00[1]]

[1] Editor's Note: This ordinance was approved by the electorate at the General Election of November 2000.

§ 21-1 Creation of program.

In accordance with P.L. 1997, c. 388 (N.J.S.A. 40A:14-183 through 40A:14-194), the Borough of Maywood Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP) is hereby created to reward members of the volunteer fire companies, the fire police and the first aid and emergency squad for their loyal, diligent and devoted services to the residents of Borough of Maywood, on the terms set forth herein.

§ 21-2 Definitions.

A. In this article, these terms shall be defined as follows:

ACTIVE VOLUNTEER MEMBER

A person who has been so designated by the governing board of a duly created emergency service organization of the Borough of Maywood and who is faithfully and actually performing volunteer service in that organization.

EMERGENCY SERVICE ORGANIZATION

The Maywood Fire Department, including the Maywood Fire Police, the Maywood First Aid and Emergency Squad and any other volunteer emergency service hereafter created by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Maywood as to which LOSAP participation is authorized by statute.

YEAR OF ACTIVE EMERGENCY SERVICE

A twelve-month period during which an active volunteer member participates in an emergency service organization and satisfies the minimum requirements of participation established by the Mayor and Council on a consistent and uniform basis.

B. All other terms used in this article shall be as defined in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-184.

§ 21-3 Contribution calculations and regulations.

A. The LOSAP shall provide for a annual contribution of $1,800 to a deferred income account for each qualifying active volunteer member who achieves a year of active emergency service in any calendar year under the criteria set forth in this article, beginning with the calendar year starting on January 1 of the year following the adoption of the referendum authorizing the LOSAP, and accumulates the minimum number of points calculated pursuant to the schedule set forth in this article. These contributions shall be made in accordance with a plan that shall be established by the Mayor and Council pursuant to P.L. 1997, c. 388.[1] This plan shall be administered in accordance with the laws of the State of New Jersey, the United States Internal Revenue Code and this article.

[Amended 6-14-2022 by Ord. No. 2-22]

[1] Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 40A:14-183 through 40A:14-194.

B. Active volunteer members shall be eligible to participate in the LOSAP immediately upon the commencement of their performance of active emergency services and shall be eligible to vest in the LOSAP when they have completed at least five years of emergency service in any emergency service organization in the state, as allowed by N.J.S.A. 40A:14-188(a).

C. The LOSAP shall also provide for an annual prior year's service contribution to those active volunteer members who have at least 25 prior years' service on the effective date of the LOSAP of no more than $550 per year for 10 years, or such other time necessary for these contributions to total $5,500. The annual prior year's service contribution will be reduced in any year to the extent that it is necessary to maintain the total annual contribution to an active volunteer member within the limit of $1,150 upon contributions imposed by N.J.S.A. 40A:14-189(b), subject to any periodic increases permitted pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-185(f). The Mayor and Council shall review the membership rosters of the emergency service organizations to determine the number of prior year's credit for each participant on the LOSAP's effective date and to determine which active volunteer members are entitled to the prior year's service contribution. In making this determination, the criteria set forth in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-188(d) shall be employed.

D. In computing the credits for active volunteer members who serve as paid employees of the borough, credit shall not be given for activities performed during the individual's regularly assigned work periods. [N.J.S.A. 40A:14-188(e)].

E. Each participating emergency service organization shall furnish to the Mayor and Council an annual certification list, certified under oath, of all volunteer members. The list shall identify the active volunteer members who have qualified for credit under the LOSAP for the previous calendar year. Volunteer members may request the deletion of their names from the list in writing, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-191, and may appeal the absence of their name from the list, or may appeal the denial of past service credit, within 30 days of the posting of the list or notice of the denial of the credit. The appeal shall be in writing and shall be mailed to the Borough Clerk. The Mayor and Council, or its designee, shall investigate the appeal. The Mayor and Council shall decide the appeal, by a resolution, adopted after an investigation of the matter.

F. The regular annual contribution amount of $1,800 shall increase each year after the first full year at the rate of 5% per year.

[Amended 6-14-2022 by Ord. No. 2-22]

G. The estimated cost of the first year of the program has been calculated as follows:

(1) For regular annual services: $75,000 per year.

(2) For contributions for prior years' service: $10,450 per year for an estimated 10 years.

§ 21-4 Point systems.

Each active volunteer member shall be credited with points for volunteer services provided to the emergency service organizations in accordance with the followings schedules:

A. Maywood Volunteer Fire Department. To qualify for the LOSAP a qualified Fire Department volunteer must accrue at least 125 points in each and every calendar year. Points are to be calculated as follows:

(1) Drills. Every drill attended qualifies for two points. (Drilling points are capped at 48 points per calendar year.)

(2) Calls. Calls are to consist of both general alarms and single company plectrons, and the point total awarded will be based on a one-for-one scale that is directly related to the qualified member's yearly call percentage totals, as presently tabulated by each company Captain. (Total call points are capped at 100 per calendar year.)

Example: If a qualified member responds to 67% of total fire calls for the year then 67 points will be awarded. If the qualified member only responds to 5% of total fire calls then only 5 points will be awarded.

(3) Training. All Fire Department training that is above and beyond monthly company and departmental drill requirements and is recognized by the department will be calculated as 1 point per training hour. Training points are capped at 20 points per calendar year. Exempt from this cap requirement is the Firefighter 1 course. Successful completion of this course qualifies the individual for 50 additional points towards their yearly total.

(4) Meetings. Fire Department official meetings that the qualified volunteer attends will each be awarded 1 point. Meetings carry a cap of 50 points per calendar year.

Qualified Meetings

Bylaws

Company

Delegates

Departmental

Exempt

Fireman's Convention

Fund Drive

Incorporation

LOSAP

Mutual Aid

NJ/NY

North Jersey Association

Relief

State

Town Council

(5) Officers. All officers are to receive upon completion of each calendar year served in their respected position these related point totals:

(a) Chief: 20 points.

(b) Captain: 15 points.

(c) Rescue Engineer: 15 points.

(d) Lieutenant: 10 points.

(e) Ex. Chief (active): 10 points.

(f) Safety Officer: five points.

(g) Cause and origin: five points.

(h) Bench officers: five points. [NOTE: Bench Officers consist of the Company President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.]

(6) Standby and long calls. All standby's and long fire calls that last a minimum of at least two hours and last no longer than six hours will be awarded five points each. Any standby and on fire call that exceeds the six-hour duration will be awarded 10 points. There is no cap on standby and long fire call points.

(7) Sleepover. All official Fire Department sleepovers will be awarded five points each. Any standby and long fire call that exceeds the six-hour duration will be awarded 10 points. There is no cap on standby and long fire call points.

(8) Miscellaneous. Miscellaneous requirements consist of official Fire Department Parade attendance, funeral attendance, company cleanups and driver of the month duties. All of these functions carry a value of 20 points each. Miscellaneous points are capped at 20 points per calendar year.

B. Maywood Fire Police. To qualify for the LOSAP a qualified member of the Maywood Fire Police must accrue at least 100 points in each and every calendar year. Points are to be calculated as follows:

(1) Alarms: responding to emergency Fire Department calls; based on full calendar year:

(a) Thirty-five-percent minimum response: 50 points.

(b) Twenty-five-percent minimum response: 40 points.

(c) Twenty-percent minimum response: 30 points. [NOTE: In case of extended illness (once per year, maximum of two months) the total number of calls used to calculate the percentage would be based on those calls occurring in the nonexcused months. (Doctor's note required.)]

(2) Drills: responding to prescheduled monthly Fire Department exercises, two-hour minimum attendance; two credits per drill; maximum 24 points.

(3) Meetings: maximum 30 points total for all meeting categories:

(a) Monthly Maywood Fire Police meetings, one-hour minimum attendance; one point per meeting; maximum 11 points.

(b) Other local meetings [Fire Board, Fire Fighters Inc., Mayor and Council (relating to Fire Department issues), etc.] one-hour minimum attendance; one point per meeting, maximum 10 points.

(c) Monthly County Fire Police meetings, one-hour minimum attendance; one point per meeting if local, two points per meeting if outside Maywood, maximum 20 points.

(d) Quarterly State Fire Police meetings, one-hour minimum attendance; four points per meeting; maximum 16 points.

(4) Special details: responding to a call for assistance by an authorized agency or function: one point per hour; maximum 30 points.

(5) Offices: elected/appointed position held for entire year (only one position credited per member):

(a) Captain: 30 points.

(b) Lieutenant: 20 points.

(c) Sergeant: 15 points.

(d) President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary: 15 points.

(e) Chaplain: five points.

(6) Committees: serving on any given committee: one point per meeting (committee member only), one-hour minimum; maximum 10 points.

(7) Miscellaneous activity: a Fire Department/Fire Police related detail approved by the Captain: one point per hour; four points maximum per event; maximum 20 points.

[NOTE: In the event of a disagreement with regard to approval, a member has the right to request arbitration from the three line officers.]

[Examples: parade, room cleanup, car cleanup, room organization, wake, memorial service.]

C. Maywood First Aid and Emergency Squad. A qualified year of volunteer emergency services (ambulance) shall be credited under the LOSAP for each calendar year after establishment of the program in which an active certified volunteer accumulates at least 125 points. Points shall be granted in accordance with the following system:

[Amended 10-13-2005 by L.L. No. 20-05[1]]

(1) Ambulance calls: 125 points maximum; one point per call.

(a) Any member that does not respond to a duty night call will lose three points for each duty night call missed for that calendar year.

(b) Any member making 50 calls during the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during the calendar year will receive an additional 10 points to his or her end-of-the-year total.

(c) It is the responsibility of squad members to ensure their monthly call point tally sheet is correct. Any discrepancies must be brought to the attention of the Vice President within 30 days of being issued. This document will be used to calculate the year-end LOSAP point tally.

(2) Drills and meetings:

(a) Eleven points maximum for monthly meetings.

(b) Eleven points for monthly drills.

(c) One point award for each regular meeting or drill attended.

(3) Training: unlimited CEUs.

(a) One point per hour of class/training of the following:

[1] CEU classes,

[2] CPR classes,

[3] EMT-B training,

[4] Other approved training.

(4) Holder of an elected position within the ambulance squad: 40 point maximum. Points are credited for completion of a one-year term in an elected position.

(a) Captain: 40 points.

(b) First Lieutenant: 30 points.

(c) Second Lieutenant: 30 points.

(d) President: 25 points.

(e) Vice President: 20 points.

(f) Secretary: 20 points.

(g) Treasurer: 20 points.

(5) Miscellaneous activities:

(a) Five LOSAP points will be credited for participation in:

[1] Weather-related standbys.

[2] Overnight standbys.

[3] Santacade.

(b) Three LOSAP points will be credited for:

[1] Work details.

[2] Wakes and memorial services.

[3] Fund-raising activities.

[4] Special committees.

[5] Parades.

[6] Township events.

[7] Transportations.

[8] Special events.

[9] Special meetings.

[10] Opening day baseball.

[11] National night out.

[12] Sidewalk sale.

[13] 5K walk.

[14] Chamber of Commerce Santa arrival.

[15] New Jersey State First Aid Council Convention.

[16] Any other events that are deemed official Ambulance Squad activities by the Captain.

[1] Editor's Note: This ordinance stated that it would be retroactive to 1-1-2005.