Trending Topics

Ga. city council approves 35% firefighter pay increase

Roswell officials approved a pay increase for full-time firefighters as the staffing model changes

Roswell.jpg

Roswell Fire Department.

Jason Getz

By Karen Huppertz for the AJC
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell City Council recently and unanimously approved a “best-in-class” pay increase for the Roswell Fire Department. This increases compensation for full-time fire staff by more than 35% on average and, according to a city statement, brings “the department’s pay scale up to one of the highest levels in the area.”

The best-in-class pay plan supports the department’s five-year transition from a part-time staffing model to a full-time model and should help the city attract, hire and retain quality employees.

“Our first responders approach each day with unwavering dedication, teamwork and integrity,” said Mayor Kurt Wilson in a statement. “They deserve to be compensated at the highest levels, and we are thrilled to be able to make that happen.”

To determine the new pay scale, the fire department worked with the city’s Human Resources Department to study nearby city department’s pay scales. Under the new plan, a non-certified firefighter recruit will start at $52,124. Previously, that position started at approximately $45,000 in Roswell, with someone in a comparable position in North Fulton starting at about $50,000.

©2023 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Visit at ajc.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.