New rules unanimously approved by the County Council on Tuesday say that career firefighters who volunteer in their spare time must limit their volunteer hours, and that they cannot work and volunteer in the same district.
Under the regulations proposed by Duncan, "two-hatters" cannot volunteer for more than 48 hours straight. In addition, a firefighter cannot have a higher rank as a volunteer than as a career firefighter.
The changes are in response to a change in federal policy. The U.S. Department of Labor has ruled that career firefighters do not have to be paid overtime for volunteering, reversing an earlier policy that led the county to prohibit two-hatting.
Some volunteers disagreed with the new rules. They agreed that firefighters should not work and volunteer at the same station, but they said banning two-hatting in a district is "overkill." Further, they argued that the county should adopt a laissez-faire policy rather than adding regulations.
Volunteers also complained about a new rule to require that any volunteer discipline carry over to career duties. They decried the rule as "ludicrous" because volunteers are often suspended for infractions such as lack of attendance.
