MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. — Mecklenburg County’s volunteer firefighters presented two options to county commissioners at their March 22 meeting to increase funding in this year’s budget.
What You Need To Know
Mecklenburg County's firefighters presented two options to commissioners
They want an increase in pay and/or hiring another captain at each station
Firefighters also deal with medical calls
Option one would increase pay from $15 to $17 an hour and include an increase in funding to cover rising operational costs.
Option two would also increase pay from $15 to $17 an hour and add funding to cover operational costs. It would also include hiring a captain at each station with $20 per hour pay.
Assistant Chief Otis Forsythe has been at the Cook’s Community Volunteer Fire Department for about a year and a half. They currently have three firefighters on 24-hour shifts. He said they can get their work done, but they would be better serving the community with four people.
“[People] see firefighters, and they think fire, and I understand that, but we deal with medical calls more than anything. It’s very important to have that fourth person on a CPR call. We’ve got more hands, more rotation in what we do,” Forsythe said.
Forsythe said the pay increase would also help to attract applicants in a field that has become very competitive.
Before a decision is finalized, the county has to put together its budget proposal, and that will be presented by the county manager in May. Forsythe is hopeful they will get one of their options approved to keep themselves, and their community, safe.
“You know fireman, we don’t do this for the money, we do this because we love the job,” Forsythe said.
The county-funded volunteer fire departments in Mecklenburg County include:
- Carolina
- Cook’s Community Volunteer Fire Department
- Long Creek
- Robinson
- Steel Creek (two stations)
- West Mecklenburg (two stations)