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Brevard County firefighters push for pay increase to stay 'competitive, comparable' with neighboring counties

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Updated  December 17, 2024 11:50pm EST
Brevard County
FOX 35 Orlando

Brevard County firefighters push for pay increases

Brevard County firefighters are urging commissioners to boost wages, arguing the current starting rate of $15 an hour for the first five years falls below neighboring counties.

The Brief

    • Brevard County firefighters are urging commissioners to increase their starting pay of $15 an hour, which lags behind neighboring counties.
    • Officials revealed that 100 firefighters have resigned this year, costing the county $2.5 million in training and turnover expenses.
    • Negotiations between the firefighters' union and the county remain at an impasse, as leaders explore potential tax hikes or alternative funding sources to address the crisis.

VIERA, Fla. - Brevard County firefighters are urging commissioners to boost wages, arguing the current starting rate of $15 an hour for the first five years falls below neighboring counties.  

"[We're] not looking for anything exorbitant — just competitive, comparable — so we can live in the county we love and serve," said one firefighter during a public meeting where numerous speakers, including firefighters, pleaded for action.  

District Chief Scott Gardiner shared a personal account, noting that his children, inspired by his career, now pursue firefighting in other counties. Officials revealed that 100 firefighters have left the department this year alone, leading to significant turnover costs. 

"It’s $25,000 approximately to hire and train one firefighter," Gardiner said. "Nearly 100 firefighters have resigned this year. That’s $2.5 million spent just this year."  

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To address the issue, the county is considering raising taxes, though some residents believe the private space industry should contribute. 

"It is not fair to the taxpayers of Brevard County to take another assessment when you have an opportunity to take some money from some other sources and solve this problem now," Sandra Sullivan argued.

Negotiations between the firefighters' union and the county reached an impasse last week. District 1 Commissioner Katie Delaney emphasized the importance of investing in personnel. 

"If we don’t have people to fill our fire stations, it doesn’t matter how pretty our buildings are," she said.

The Source: Some information for this story was provided by Brevard County Professional Firefighters, the Brevard County Commission and previous reporting by FOX 35 News.

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