NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – On Tuesday night, the New Smyrna Beach city commission will review its budget, which features a significant salary increase for the city’s firefighters. In the previous month, News 6 reported on firefighters advocating for increased wages, citing their salaries as being among the lowest in the state of Florida.
Fire department officials caution that over 30% of their personnel have submitted applications to better-paying agencies within Central Florida. The potential loss of these staff members could lead to the temporary closure of stations or service brownouts within the city.
“It’s a step in the right direction. We feel like it’s fixed compression,” said Brandon Carroll of the Local 2271 Fire Union.
If the city commission approves the budget, Carroll says it will be a good starting point for fair pay.
“Hopefully our department becomes more marketable because ultimately, we’re still hiring,” Carroll added.
[RELATED VIDEO: New Smyrna Beach firefighters to rally for higher pay as many apply elsewhere]
Firefighters have been pushing for these changes amid recruitment challenges.
The New Smyrna Fire Department had only three applicants in its last hiring round.
The union points out that city EMTs currently earn $4,000 to $15,000 less annually than counterparts in other departments.
In negotiations, the city manager agreed to an almost 20% raise across the board.
“We have integrated into the contract provisions for lateral transfers, meaning that when new employees come in, they will be positioned at a slightly higher step within the pay matrix, which was mutually agreed upon with the city,” Carroll elaborated.
The contract would last one year.
The city manager issued a statement to News 6:
“The City of New Smyrna Beach has successfully negotiated contracts with both the fire and police unions, which await approval by the City Commission tonight. Upon approval, these new agreements will take effect on October 1st, ensuring that personnel within the Fire and Police Departments receive appropriate compensation under the new terms.
Public safety remains a paramount concern for the City Commission. We are devoted to supplying our public safety teams with the finest equipment, cutting-edge technology, top-tier training, an outstanding work environment, as well as competitive pay and benefits. Nearly 50% of our general fund budget is allocated to fire and police services.
We deeply value our public safety employees and are proud to continue delivering the highest quality services to our community.”
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