NORWICH – A contract agreement has been made between the city and the Firefighters Association Local 1404, International Association of Firefighters – the paid firefighters for the City of Norwich.

The city reached an agreement for ratification of the contract during a special meeting of the Common Council at the beginning of the year. The agreement ensures that firefighters are posted at the station and ready to respond at all hours of the day. A resolution to enter a contract passed on a 6-0 roll call vote, despite recent public criticism for the city’s utilization of a paid fire department rather than a volunteer department. The contract, effective as of the first of the month, expires Dec. 31, 2017.

According to City Mayor Joseph Maiurano, negotiations between the city and the firefighters union were carefully deliberated in the weeks leading up to the agreement. The NFD maintains 15 full-time employees, including the fire chief and several registered EMS workers, with 5 part-time fire assistants. Personal services for NFD cost the city more than $1 million in 2012, and projected personal services exceed $1.1 million for the coming year, with a total 2013 budget of $1.5 million for the entire department.