Biden to push firefighter wages above $13 as U.S. braces for record wildfire season
Source: Reuters
June 30, 2021
10:42 AM EDT
June 30 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday will announce pay raises and bonuses for federal firefighters ahead of a meeting with western state governors who may face a record number of forest blazes this year because of drought and high temperatures.
Wednesday's virtual meeting, to include Cabinet officials, aims to show the White House is treating wildfires - which have grown by at least 100 incidents each year since 2015 - are no less a national emergency than hurricanes, a senior administration official said on Tuesday.
As climate change makes regions like the U.S. western states more arid, wildfires have grown more frequent and ferocious. At the same time, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management face staffing shortages accelerated by low pay and competition from state and local fire departments.
The U.S. government employs some 15,000 firefighters to battle wildfires on federal land, including thousands of seasonal workers who start at roughly $13 an hour and rely on overtime and hazard pay to make ends meet. Biden recently called that a "ridiculously low salary." He plans to announce that no federal firefighter will make less than $15 an hour, the official said.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-announce-wage-boost-bonuses-wildfire-fighters-2021-06-30/
For firefighters, anything below $50 per hour is a "ridiculously low salary." Jesus, I'd had no idea!
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LifeLongDemocratic
(131 posts)No fire fighter should make less than $25 an hour. What is wrong with our country?
wryter2000
(47,940 posts)That's a crime. Jeebus, they go out in heat waves into fires. They risk their lives. There is no amount of money in the world that would get me to do that.
wysimdnwyg
(2,267 posts)What in the actual F***? The nimrod sweeping the floor at Costco makes more than that. These brave people are putting their lives on the line pretty much every time they go out, and we can't see fit to start them at better than $13/hr? That's obscene! Like you said, ICJ, $50/hr is just starting to be more reasonable. Especially when you factor in where these people are more likely to work (out west, including California) and the cost of living in those areas.
we can do it
(13,024 posts)
Marrah_Goodman
(1,587 posts)we can do it
(13,024 posts)City screwed me out of 1200 hours of sick time, which also would have increased my monthly pension.
Icono Classless Jerk
(46 posts)On the clock, 12:46 is earlier than 1:20
MissMillie
(39,652 posts)I'll pass
Journeyman
(15,448 posts)onetexan
(13,913 posts)Highest paid in state of NY. 😕
we can do it
(13,024 posts)DanieRains
(4,619 posts)The intensity of the fires is 100% their fault. They make money and pass the externalities off to the tax payer.
mac2766
(658 posts)Are you kidding me? How embarrassing. I'm amazed that anyone would put themselves in such harms way for so little.
15 isn't enough either. 25 - 30 an hour sounds about right to me.
jeffreyi
(2,571 posts)GregariousGroundhog
(7,593 posts)Assuming the "rest of U.S." locality adjustment, they make $13.45 an hour.
A firefighter enter as GS-4 if they have a two year degree related to fire science, otherwise they need one year of experience at GS-3 to get to GS-4. That will bring them up to $15.10 an hour.
A firefighter can enter GS-5 if they have a four year degree related to fire science, otherwise they can move to GS-5 after one year of experience at GS-4. That would bring them up to $16.90 an hour.
A firefighter can move to GS-6 if they have one year of experience at GS-5. That would bring them up to $18.84 an hour. They would then earn step increases with the GS-6 level, which would be 62 cent increases at the 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 13, 16, and 19 year marks.
Personally, I wouldn't object to starting them at GS-5 and ending them at GS-9.
Traildogbob
(13,018 posts)Explanation. Hot shots make a little more. The gear they have is extremely heavy, the fire clothing is hot as hell. And the terrain is brutal. Perfect physical condition is required. And bravery many people can’t imagine. Wildland Fire crews are all hero’s and deserve to be paid as such.
jeffreyi
(2,571 posts)No more. The demographics have shifted, as have the conditions. As far as I'm concerned, (usda FS retiree), the hiring practices have been abusive for decades. Now, it's no longer a seller's market, and you can't hire or retain good people without pay and benefits. Btw, I used to be on pickup fire crews, and going to lightning fires etc. was not a big deal, i.e., not especially dangerous. Not now. And the other thing, we as a country/community have to get serious about fuel reduction in our forests and rangelands, if they are to be retained.
Traildogbob
(13,018 posts)And not by raking the Forest floor. Latter fuels are critical and must be removed. Control burns are hard because fuel conditions do not allow with drought and heat. Throw in insect, disease, and draught killing trees adding to fuel load is disastrous. Sacrificing lives of the brave men and women while developers keep putting homes in fire dependent ecosystems is stupid. Like putting Condos on wetland reclamation.
We had issues here in the WNC mountains with summer home millionaires not wanting to put gas tanks underground, an extra couple hundred dollars at a million plus summer getaway. Our Wildland Fire Crews told em, a wild fire heads up your slope, we will not respond with those above ground bombs. They said eh, insurance will cover it.
Our Forest are a resource we will not survive without. They are in danger.
Marrah_Goodman
(1,587 posts)What the fuck??????
MontanaMama
(24,722 posts)This is criminal.
Skittles
(171,707 posts)bless the folk who do this but they should be VERY well-paid
Rebl2
(17,740 posts)That is shameful! It needs to be much higher than that!
KT2000
(22,150 posts)last night I asked her if people would pass out. She said all the time. I asked what they would do and she said the person would take some time to recover and then keep going. They fight fires in hot hot weather comparable to what we experienced and it has filled our hospital to the max.
I had no idea they were paid such crap wages. That is obscene, even at $15.
Traildogbob
(13,018 posts)I did not realize it was still so low. We trained and certified Wildland Fire Fighters in our Forest Management program at college. They did pack test and C130 and 190 certs to be eligible. Many hours fighting local fires here in the mountain and on the coastal forests. Many became State, County Rangers and District Rangers in the U.S Forest Service. All would be sent west during fire season. A deceit percentage got Hot Shot certified and I know of only 4 that made Smoke Jumper Status. Two of my grads lost their life, one in Granite Mountain one in Storm King Mountain fire. Many loved to do west coast fire season because they made up for low pay at county, state and fed positions. Many Would take vacation to earn that pay while on fire payroll. Entry level for jobs as County or Assistant County start at 34,000 and year. Close to same at fed jobs. When I graduated College I made $21,000 per year as ACR. Assistant County Ranger. That was in 1981, and this is what they make now. With possibly lose of life. They love it. They live for it. Men and women. They are all my hero’s. $15 is ridiculous.
When you think of what the Trump spawn are paid. For what? Thanks Joe, but go big. These hero’s are in for hell ahead. To save homes built in pyrophetic (fire dependent) ecosystems that thrive with annual fires.
Historic NY
(40,037 posts)These that Biden is raising are seasonal Wild Land Firefighter not residential or other found at Federal or military installations. You find college students, volunteer fireman and others doing this job.
Biden's plan would ensure that no one fighting wildland fires is making less than $15 per hour and would add or convert to full-time nearly 1,000 firefighters across a host of agencies.
The Forest Service employs several hundred Smoke Jumpers which again are not ordinary firefighters, they go where they are needed The Cream of the Cream
MichMan
(17,150 posts)
Hekate
(100,133 posts)Historic NY
(40,037 posts)imagine your tax bill if you live in podunk (not the real one) Your neighbors, son, daughters, etc that staff firehouses and ambulance corps. Sure there is tax money and then the spaghetti suppers. Upstate NY Fire Companies recruit at colleges, giving them a place to sleep and eat to help staff fire trucks. Some places have to hire a driver to get a fire truck out. Its happening all around the country no one seems to mine the low taxes, when it comes to volunteers. They have the same training, maybe even better. I know the taxpayers in my town are going to shit when the volley's go paid. The ambulance does medical billing so they can staff F/T/ paramedics.
I've spend over 4 decades in the service one end or another administrative mostly. Its hard to get people to do anything, when the whistle blow they roll over in warm beds.
I'm not picking on you, I'm just trying to make you aware it happens in little villages, towns, small cities everywhere, all across this country. People take for granted that 911 is going to bring someone.
nwliberalkiwi
(423 posts)Our son is a fire fighter currently working with the BLM, but has several years with US Forest Service. Repels out of helicopters---very dangerous!!!
An idea: no taxes, government contributes $6,000 to a Roth IRA per each year fighting fires, raise starting wages to $20/hr., free healthcare.
Hassin Bin Sober
(27,461 posts)Time and a half on Saturdays.
This is ridiculous.