The Newburgh City Council held two public hearings last week on the newly-created position of fire commissioner and the amendments to the city code to recognize the adopted position. The adopted fire commissioner position would provide the fire department an administrative structure similar to the police department, which has an acting police commissioner and police chief.

The entire description document was adopted by the city on October 19, 2022 through delegation by the Newburgh Civil Service Commission. “It [fire commissioner] supervises and makes recommendations in the hiring, supervision, and discharge of all personnel and the control of all department activities and functions. The incumbent in this position will supervise the planning, coordinating and oversight of the activity and efficiency of all firefighting units in the City in accordance with existing laws, ordinances, regulations and established policies and procedures. The Fire Commissioner has a policy and influencing relationship with the City Manager with regard to the determination of plans and policies within the Department, but works independently in administering these plans and policies.”

The description also provides a breakdown of the typical work activities that included serving as head of the fire department and the chief fire officer. The commissioner would supervise all other fire department officers and members as well as department funds. The fire commissioner oversees hiring and department coordination, adheres and dictates rules and regulations, represents the fire department at various meetings, establishes department goals, addresses public relations based matters and directs usage of fire department amenities and supplies.

Kelson also provided a brief description of the proposed local law amendments to Chapter 42 of the fire department. “This proposed local law also is intended to introduce the position, the title of fire commissioner, into the administrative code of the City of Newburgh,” said Kelson.

Fire Lt. Dany Camacho raised the questions of the city fire department seeking volunteer firefighters. He was told this would not happen.

“For the members of the fire department, safety is our number one priority. Our daily goal is to prepare for and provide protection of life and property to the citizens of Newburgh. We’ve gotten to the point where we’ve reduced the amount of people on the street who are actually in there doing the work,” said Camacho. “We [the fire department] find it hard to understand the value of a fire commissioner. In a matter of funding, a new fire commissioner, those funds could be better utilized to fund firefighters to respond to emergencies. A fire commissioner and/or fire chief as defined by the job description do not enter a fire building.”

Several speakers at the hearing also suggested that a new firehouse would be a better use of city funding then hiring a fire commissioner.