Watertown City Council Approves “Plus One” Firefighter Staffing Model
- Steve Jurrens
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council took steps to ensure the continuity of emergency services on Tuesday by authorizing a new “Plus One” firefighter staffing position for Watertown Fire Rescue.
The staffing model allows the City Manager to approve the hiring of a temporary relief firefighter to cover operational gaps caused by extended military deployments or long-term medical leave. Once an absent staff member returns to duty, the “Plus One” employee will remain on staff until a permanent opening occurs through natural attrition, such as retirement or resignation.
Fire Chief Don Rowland presented the proposal, emphasizing that the move is a proactive strategy to maintain the department’s full force of 40 staff members during unpredictable absences.
“When a military deployment is occurring, there is no budget cost,” Rowland explained, noting that the primary objective is to preserve the city’s investment in highly trained personnel. “The advantages are when we have somebody that we bring in, there’s a lot of recruitment, there’s a lot of training, and there’s a lot of certifications that come with being a firefighter paramedic”.
Councilman Brent Mohrmann strongly supported the initiative, highlighting the high marketability of certified first responders and the need to retain them amid a competitive landscape.
“Once they get those certifications... they also become incredibly marketable,” Mohrmann said. “We want to do everything we can to keep our employees... having an extra hiree really alleviates the pressure that then would get put on others when somebody is missing for an extended period of time”.
City Manager Alan Stager confirmed that this model replicates a successful program already in place at the Watertown Police Department. Stager indicated that the city is also exploring similar strategies for other high-demand roles, such as positions that require a commercial driver’s license.
The council also discussed potential recruitment through the Build Dakota scholarship program, which provides full-ride awards to students in high-demand fields such as emergency medicine. While the department has not yet utilized the program, Rowland noted that it is a tool they may consider in the future to attract paramedics in a competitive market.
The motion passed with a unanimous roll-call vote.
