Atlanta firefighters in line for significant pay boost
ATLANTA - Firefighters in Atlanta are set to see their pay jump significantly.
Their union boss, Nate Bailey, told council members low pay, especially compared to even smaller departments, is causing the younger firefighters to leave.
And those officers are doing so as they enter the prime of their careers -- roughly six years on.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens address Atlanta firefighter during the annual Breakfast with our Bravest event on May 4, 2022. (FOX 5)
Earlier this week, Mayor Andre Dickens, spoke at a firefighter breakfast and pledged a pay upgrade.
The mayor knows the choice. Firefighter staffing is so short those who remain have been forced to work 48 hours straight in order to keep all the neighborhood stations open.
ATLANTA FIRE DEPARTMENT STAFFING 'DANGEROUSLY LOW'
The Atlanta City Council holds a budget meeting discussing firefighter pay raises on May 6, 2022. (FOX 5)
At a City Hall budget hearing Friday morning, several members of the Atlanta City Council also voiced support for a pay hike.
Right now, the city pays just $40,000 to a recruit to start.
"And that has been killing us," Nate Bailley told a reporter right after the meeting.
The mayor is expected to lay out the specifics of his pay boost in the coming days.