Fire Department Updates City Committee on Recruitment Activities

The Pasadena Fire Department on Wednesday gave updates regarding its ongoing recruitment activities.

During the City Council’s Public Safety Committee meeting, Fire Chief Chad Augustin said the dwindling of the workforce within the department is caused by a variety of factors including retirement, high demand for paramedics in California, competitive opportunities in Southern California due longer wildfire seasons, employee burnout, and lack of consistent recruit academies in the past years.

According to the department, there are at least four personnel retiring and 10 personnel have resigned every year, since 2017.

Augustin said the staffing issues are immediately being addressed with annual trainee and lateral academies.

He added that in the last months, the department has addressed the problem internally, by making sure employees are valued, improving communication among members, ensuring that there is adequate employee development, and making sure there is timely hiring and adequate staffing so that employees can have a healthy work-life balance.

During the discussion, the fire chief stressed the importance of upgrading housing facilities for the fire personnel.

“It has a large impact. And it comes down to pride and ownership and the ability of feeling valued by the community. I don’t think any of us would disagree that many of our stations need work,” he said

“It’s very important that we have separate female locker rooms and female restrooms and sleeping quarters. And that is a work in progress here in Pasadena but we do have a long way to go.”

Augustin also recognized the city’s efforts to address this, saying since he assumed office, at least four out of eight fire stations underwent upgrades.

The fire department is seeking funding of $376,244  for its recruitment programs including the Explorers Program, Girls’ Camp, Auxiliary Program, and Emergency Medical Services Reserves Program.

The funding will also cover the new programs of the department, such as the Pasadena Unified School District Program and the Paramedic Internships which aims to provide information and training about the fire department’s operations and the paramedic training program, respectively.

According to City Manager Steve Mermell, the information provided by the fire department will become part of the city’s budget discussion for the next fiscal year.