Medical Plan Considered for Connecticut Fire/EMS Volunteers

TRUMBULL -- The town's three volunteer fire companies and the Emergency Medical Service may soon have another tool at their disposal -- one that could help retain and recruit personnel.

The Town Council will consider a resolution that would allow the town to offer medical insurance to active members of the Trumbull Volunteer Fire Company and EMS. The council will review the proposal when it meets at 8 p.m. Monday in Town Hall.

"We'd been talking about this for a number of months," First Selectman Raymond G. Baldwin Jr. said. "It's the least we can do."

State law would require fire and EMS volunteers who elect coverage to pay 100 percent of the premium and any additional costs for coverage. But the proposal would allow them to take advantage of group insurance rates available through the town, which would be cheaper than policies available to individuals.

In a letter to Baldwin, James P. Blanchfield, vice president for the Trumbull Volunteer Fire Company, said while there would be almost no cost to the town, "There could be a real benefit, however, to the departments, in terms of recruiting local residents and businesspersons to serve the community, and in retaining such individuals as well."

Officials said they did not know how many firefighters or EMS members might take advantage of the coverage.

The town does not have paid firefighters, and the EMS services, for the most part, are provided by volunteers.

In 2002, the council approved tax abatements for volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel.

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