Firefighters responding to emergencies in Hallandale Beach now work for Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue — a $19.5 million merger that’s costing the city’s taxpayers nearly $1 million a year.
The merger is only a few weeks old, but Mayor Joy Cooper said Monday she already wants out of it.
“It’s costing us money,” she said. “We are paying them an extra $787,000 to run our department. This was a draconian move. In any contract, you have 90 days to get out.”
Under the terms of the contract, it can be terminated at any time with 90 days’ notice by commission vote.
The merger took effect on Jan. 4, expanding Broward Fire Rescue’s domain to eight cities in addition to the airport, seaport and unincorporated areas. On Tuesday, Broward Fire Rescue will welcome the city’s 67 firefighters in a 2 p.m. swearing-in ceremony at Gulfstream Park.
Fire union officials asked Hallandale commissioners to pursue a merger in late 2017 amid rising health care costs and talk of pension reform.
Cooper, who was found not guilty of corruption charges in November, was suspended from office when the commission approved the merger in October. She returned to the dais after her acquittal and now wants to turn back the clock on the merger.
Hallandale Beach officials are hoping it will save money on pension costs down the road, City Manager Greg Chavarria said.
It remains unclear just how much the city might save because it depends on how many firefighters stick with the city’s pension plan and how many switch to the state retirement plan.
“There were a lot of reasons I voted for this merger,” Vice Mayor Sabrina Javellana said. “We’re a small city, and it’s difficult to have your own everything. I wanted to see immediate national accreditation. We are not [accredited] and BSO is.”
Firefighters assigned to Hallandale Beach stations should be able to respond to emergency calls faster now, according to Battalion Chief Michael Kane, a spokesman for Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue. That’s because the agency already has fire stations in Pembroke Park and West Park that can respond to calls on the west side of town, he said.
“We’ve also increased their staffing levels from two people per engine to three people per engine,” Kane said. “The more firefighters you can put on the scene of a fire, the better chance of rescuing a trapped victim and putting a fire out.”
To help boost staffing, Hallandale was awarded a $5.7 million federal grant to hire 14 new firefighters by March 2020. Those firefighters are now being provided by Broward Fire Rescue. The grant will cover costs for the first three years, then the city will have to come up with the money on its own.
Other cities that already contract with Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue include Cooper City, Dania Beach, Deerfield Beach, Lauderdale Lakes, Pembroke Park, Weston and West Park.
Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4554
