Dpa controller expressed concern regarding the FAA's new staffing policy.

Attributes
ACN	710447
Time
Date	200609
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dpa.tower
State Reference	IL
Environment
Light	Night
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Experience	controller non radar : 20 controller time certified in position1 : 12
ASRS Report	710447
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

This FAA VFR level 7 tower is to be staffed with 14 ATC specialists and 1 operational supervisor; whom rarely works traffic. As of sep/sun/06; the tower is manned by only 10 controllers and 1 supervisor. The absolute minimum staffing required is 3 during day shift and 3 in the afternoon and 1 on the midnight shift. This is totally unsafe; the only way to get a day off is to call in sick. Then instead of FAA calling overtime to help cover; they make the ATC's work without staffing. The only options are to take no rest breaks or combine all the position and work in the tower with 1 person. Again unsafe. I believe running a safety organization like a business is totally unacceptable.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DPA CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE FAA'S NEW STAFFING POLICY.

Narrative: THIS FAA VFR LEVEL 7 TWR IS TO BE STAFFED WITH 14 ATC SPECIALISTS AND 1 OPERATIONAL SUPVR; WHOM RARELY WORKS TFC. AS OF SEP/SUN/06; THE TWR IS MANNED BY ONLY 10 CTLRS AND 1 SUPVR. THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM STAFFING REQUIRED IS 3 DURING DAY SHIFT AND 3 IN THE AFTERNOON AND 1 ON THE MIDNIGHT SHIFT. THIS IS TOTALLY UNSAFE; THE ONLY WAY TO GET A DAY OFF IS TO CALL IN SICK. THEN INSTEAD OF FAA CALLING OVERTIME TO HELP COVER; THEY MAKE THE ATC'S WORK WITHOUT STAFFING. THE ONLY OPTIONS ARE TO TAKE NO REST BREAKS OR COMBINE ALL THE POS AND WORK IN THE TWR WITH 1 PERSON. AGAIN UNSAFE. I BELIEVE RUNNING A SAFETY ORGANIZATION LIKE A BUSINESS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.