The Town of Winchester has a shortage of firefighters and that poses a risk to public safety. To remedy that situation, the Town Manager and her staff worked collaboratively with the fire department on a Memorandum of Understanding that if approved would see an increases in wages and benefits.
Town Manager Lisa Wong said the town isn’t getting enough applicants, because the town doesn’t compensate them well enough and also because there aren’t enough people interested in the job. When she looked at comparable communities, she found that Winchester just didn’t stack up well enough.
It’s just not the Town Manager, as Fire Chief Rick Tustin agreed with her assessment. He called wage increases a “long time coming.” With these changes, Winchester would no longer be at the bottom of the pack, the chief acknowledged. He added, when it comes to paramedics, they shop around and look for the best package.