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Scal,

Yes under normal circumstances the 5 floaters (extra personnel) per shift cover the 5 vacation slots per shift. There are other factors, members out injured on duty, or off duty. We do not have workers comp or TDI, if someone like the article above stated hurts themselves off duty they have to use sick time. So if there are five floaters and a total of 6 people out 1 overtime slot is created. Keep in mind that due to retirements, we are down to around 2 floaters per shift now, meaning now you have to fill at a minimum 3 slots with overtime. You can hire 10 floaters per shift and there will be no overtime, but the salary line in the budget will far exceed the OT number. This year since salary will be down but OT will be close to where the chief budget for. OT will be over because the City Council cut $600,000 from it last year. Keep in mind Cranston is a similar sized city and their OT budget is more than twice the city of Warwick.