VIDEO: The Town of Waterford is making firefighters in town decide whether they want to work part-time and get paid or fight fires as a volunteer.
Currently the town has overlap between part-time and volunteer firefighters.
First Selectman Dan Steward said the issue was raised after a local part-time firefighter requested to be paid for decades of volunteer service, citing a potential violation of an old federal labor law.
In response, Waterford’s Director of Fire Services Bruce Miller sent out a letter to 53 firefighters saying “In electing to serve as a paid, part-time member of the fire services, you will not be eligible to volunteer such services.
“That’s a significant decision to give up that kind of money but it’s based on my love of the service and the betterment of the community,” said Cohanzie Fire Co. Chief Todd Branche.