The village of Lake Zurich is re-evaluating the structure and operations of its fire department, with a focus on improving efficiency.

On February 17, Joe Pozzo, a project manager with the International City/County Management Association’s Center for Public Safety Management (ICMA-CPSM), presented findings from an operational analysis commissioned by the Village Board. The report aimed to provide an objective assessment of the services delivered by the Lake Zurich Fire Rescue Department.

The CPSM report recommended maintaining the current number of administrative and command staff, as they believe the department is well-organized and effectively managed. Pozzo praised the department, stating, “You have a very good fire department — and I don’t say that every time I do a presentation.”

For several years, officials had been interested in evaluating both the police and fire departments to identify areas where the fire department could operate more efficiently. Between 2010 and 2014, due to budget constraints, the village reduced its full-time workforce by 19 positions. This led to a review of whether the fire and police departments needed similar reductions.

To keep costs down, the village opted to have the fire department analyzed at a cost of $50,000, while Police Chief Steve Husak conducted his own review of the police department independently.

Beyond staffing, the analysis also examined how the fire department handled overtime pay. The report found that firefighters may be receiving time-and-a-half compensation more frequently than allowed under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Currently, the department averages a 56-hour workweek, or up to 216 hours over a 27-day cycle. However, FLSA limits non-overtime hours to 53 per week, or 204 hours in the same period.

Pozzo suggested that leave time or unproductive hours could be subtracted from scheduled shifts to reduce overtime liability. He encouraged the village and the fire department to revisit their overtime policies, noting that saving on these expenses could allow funds to be redirected elsewhere.

In addition to overtime concerns, Pozzo identified other opportunities for improvement. These included reducing the amount of time firefighters spend at hospitals during ambulance runs, expanding performance metrics for employees, and considering the consolidation of two of the four fire stations—Station 1 on Buesching Road and Station 4 on Field Parkway in Deer Park.

Thanks, Dan

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