The chairman of Beaver County’s commissioners wants to offer some relief to volunteer firefighters who work for the county.
Commissioners Chairman Daniel Camp this week requested the county develop a policy that would allow volunteer firefighters who work for the county to take unpaid time off without penalty if they responded to an emergency prior to their shift.
“If they’re coming in late, they shouldn’t have to use a vacation day for that,” Camp said.
He said he wouldn’t recommend the policy for departments that have scheduled shift work, such as the 911 center or the county jail, but for those firefighters who work in administrative offices at the courthouse. He suggested that measures be included to ensure the policy isn’t abused. Firefighters wouldn’t be allowed to leave a shift to take a call, he said.