News Release

Olean Fire Department is Fully Staffed

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OLEAN -- The Olean City Fire Department is now fully staffed, following the Nov. 23 appointment of two permanent firefighters.

In a brief ceremony Mayor Linda Witte appointed Nathan Veno and Justin Melfi to join the ranks of the Olean City Fire Department. The appointments are the first since February 2010 when she filled three of four full-time vacancies with the city’s first permanent full-time hires in seven years.

The hiring is intended to help control excessive overtime costs when the staffing limits for the three platoons is less than the nine-man crew dictated by the Fire Department’s union contract.

Monday’s appointments close two vacancies, one that has been open since before her term began in January 2010, and an opening created by the retirement of Firefighter Drew Gattuso in April 2011.

The new firefighters have been working part-time for the department as they completed training in the New York State Fire Academy and another phase of in-house training.

Firefighter Veno holds the entry-grade position of Paramedic Firefighter and will collect an annual salary of $39,962.39. Firefighter Melfi, with Basic EMT certification, is a first-step firefighter, earning an annual salary of $35,451.