GT>We are in process of 'attempting' to organize Volunteer EMS Corps
GT>Your guiding suggestions are requested.
GT>We are thinking of having about 8 PAID EMTs plus 70 Volunteers.
GT>The paid, perhaps $15/hour + benefits, to work 40 hour weeks.
GT>The volunteers to get $300 monthly stipend (no additional benefits)
GT>and volunteers to contribute at least 30 hours per month, in blocks
GT>of 3 hours or more (but NOT over 10 hours for ANY stretch/shift).
WARNING!  You must be exceptionally careful about "paying" volunteers.
If you pay them an amount, it MUST be at least minimum wage if you
divide it by the hours that they have worked over that period.  You are
talking about "at least 30" hours a month.  If someone gives more than
that, they could blow the formula and get you guys into trouble.  Also,
if an employee (that means volunteer also) gets disgruntled, he could
cause a lawsuit which would require you to give hi, "back pay" for all
the hours he volunteered.  One local squad had a "paid on call" system
for the volunteers which was found to be illegal and was force to pay
about 1.2Million bucks in pay to volunteers.   OUCH!
I'd HIGHLY recommend enlisting the services of a labor lawyer before
trying something like this.  It will cost miney but will prevent you
from trouble down the road.
GT>PAID Members as well as Volunteers to get $700/yr clothing allowance.
What are you going to buy, suits of armour?  Just issue them 6 shirts
and 6 pants initially, then 2 of each for every year thereafter.  Part
timers or volunteers can get 3 and 3 initially and 1 therafter.
GT>There are at least 2 Ambulances available to serve 30,000 residents.
GT>For around the clock coverage, GT>instead of 8 or 12 hour shifts,
we are thinking of 10 hour shifts for PAID members, and to have 2
PAID m per shift, supported by 3 Volunteers per shift, SO paid
actually sup VOLUNTEER + 1 Volunteer would answer same.
Try this.  10 hour days and 14 hour nights.  Rotated any way you choose
not to exceed 80 hours in the 2-week period.  (or 12 and 12 hours
shifts with people permanetly on days or nights.  (check your states
labor laws as you may have to pay OT for over 40 in one week.  PA does
not allow private organizations to "even-out" hours accross two weeks,
that is only allowed for HOSPITALS and MUNICIPAL entities.)
With 12-hour shifts, you can fill an entire week with 8 people.  4 on
day shift and 4 on night shifts.  This will fit your bill.  10-hour
shifts will require part-time fill-ins and cost you more money.
Use your volunteers in "peak times" like days and evenings.  You should
do a call-by-time-of-day analysis for the past 6 months to a year before
deciding on the best times for the additional personnel.
Good luck.                Michael Garvin, EMT-P
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