Photo: Courtesy Mountain Home Fire Department
The Mountain Home City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Thursday evening allowing the restructuring of a command system for the city’s fire department.
The ordinance redefines the job classifications and compensation plans for the department, establishing the department’s positions as lieutenant, captain, battalion chief and fire marshal. Chief Kris Quick told the council Paragould is the only other city of similar size in the state that did not have battalion chiefs in its departments.
The lack of command structure also limits the opportunities for advancement in the department, according to Mayor Hillrey Adams.
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The ordinance also returns the position of engineer to the department, which Quick says has not existed in Mountain Home since the 1990s. Engineers are primarily responsible for firefighting vehicles, such as fire engines, that transport firefighters, carry equipment and pump water at fire scenes.
Adams says the advancements in fire equipment, particularly trucks, make the position a necessity.
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The pay adjustments included in the restructuring will not cause budgetary issues for the department, Quick told the council. The department is approximately $39,000 under its budget for salaries. The restructuring will cost about $10,000, Quick says, leaving the department under budget for the year.
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