San Diego Firefighters Salary and Mayor

[Res45cuE]

On an interesting sidenote, Jeff Bowman saw this coming years ago. I don't know how the SDFR guys felt about him, but I read an interview with him where he discussed his reasons for resigning. He seems like a sharp guy, and I was surprised to see him jump ship so quickly. Obviously, the writing was on the wall.

[CALFFBOU]

I hate to say this....I know it will start a SH## storm...but I think we have an easier time with wage increases because we do not have any volunteers (to speak of) in California....

Before you all jump down my throat...I am not anti-vollie. I was one here in California in a rural area, as well as one in an Urban area on the East Coast.

But, I really think this is a factor. When a politician can say "Look, there are people lining up to do it for free", they can get away with a lot of BS...

I have to say OFD nailed it. I am not anti-Volie either.

As for us being "unique", I dont make that claim.

[JohnVBFD]

I have to say OFD nailed it. I am not anti-Volie either.

As for us being "unique", I dont make that claim.

I'm sorry, the Castro district of San Fran is unique

[JHR1985]

I'm sorry, the Castro district of San Fran is unique

You can say that again

[Jasper 45]

I'm sorry, the Castro district of San Fran is unique

Uhhh, yeah-or something.

[Bones42]

OFD226,

Estimated median house/condo value in 2005: $390,700 - that's based on 10 year old valuation. It was just redone. The number is now over $600k.

we were number ten on the most dangerous city list in 2004 - sounds like a good reason to move.

Makes no sense

THAT I entirely agree with.

and on top of that all...the ground does not shake here.

[Dalmatian190]

but I think we have an easier time with wage increases because we do not have any volunteers (to speak of) in California....

Nope.

Need to rethink that one because there's several easy observations:

1) Pay is lowest in the South, which traditionally has one of the weakest volunteer (or any) fire protection traditions in the U.S.

2) Very well paid Northeastern U.S. departments are often immediately adjacent to areas that have long traditions of strong volunteer systems -- although some of those are weakening. Chicagoland has a number of departments using part-time staff heavily near career departments that pay well.

3) What explains the Cops & Teacher's salaries?

Looking at the Firehouse salary survey, http://www.firehouse.com/magazine/su.../part3/pay.pdf , and adjusting for Cost of Living between damn high Connecticut and astronomical parts of California...the California guys would need a $20,000 pay raise AND work 12 hours a week less to be equivelant to the CT Firefighters. With the possible exception of Fairfield, all the Departments from CT on that first page have fairly strong (declining but still predominantly) volunteer departments on several of their borders if not within the same town.

Unionization (mandatory Collective Bargaining) and Cost of Living have the far bigger impact on FF pay.

[martz847]

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[Ha11igan]

San Diego pays about the same as here (central IL) but a $350,000 house here is a freakin monster house.

They're getting screwed.

[BKDRAFT]

I was suprised to see that Sac City is starting out lower than San Diego! No wonder they are having open hiring. Everyone is going to work for Sac Metro. But, don't get me wrong I would go to work in San Diego or Sac City in a heartbeat.

[OFD226]

sac city also has 4 man engines and trucks....Sac Metro has 3 on both.

There goes your pay increase!

I would rather take a pay cut than loose our 4th man off the engine or 5th off the truck....

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

sac city also has 4 man engines and trucks....Sac Metro has 3 on both.

There goes your pay increase!

I would rather take a pay cut than loose our 4th man off the engine or 5th off the truck....

Don't give the mutts any ideas!

[gunnyv]

I am getting sick of the cities saying it's cheaper to pay OT than hire more firefighters, and then turning around and complaining you make too much money-when they count all the mandatory OT?

All the public hears is how we have X number of FFs who made big money and retired with a "huge" pension.

[SON044]

Hey OFD226 Never negotiate for us on a bulletin board! As far as trading money for staff we do neither. We fight for our wages which we earn and fight the bastards to the ground for staff.

As have so recently done FTM

[OFD226]

Our Union has been great with regards to keeping our staffing levels where they belong.

SON044 we do owe a debt to you and the others on the Union Board for fighting for us. I hope it will continue in the future, and I am confident it will.

I just wish you (Union Board) and us (Union Members) could have more of a say with regards to getting our Fireboat back, opening more Firehouses, getting more Engines, more Trucks and More BC's....but we are lucky to have what we have I suppose, especially when you look at what the cities around us are going through at the moment (Vallejo for example.....)

[illbedam]

Forget the pay issue. After visiting San Diego last year, you guys have more problems then that to deal with. Just seeing a Ladder Truck respond nearly 40 miles to a first alarm building fire makes me say

[ChicagoFF]

You could always strike.

[Dalmatian190]

The department is under-staffed, under-paid, and not treated fairly compared to other public safety jobs.

That's certainly true...on a previous thread about Phoenix when I was looking up the statistics for cities out west San Diego stood out like a sore thumb for the combination of it's low spending per population & very high cost of living -- things you wouldn't expect to go to together since FD spending (like most municipal spending) is predominantly salaries.

Just seeing a Ladder Truck respond nearly 40 miles to a first alarm building fire makes me say

Seems like there's likely more to that story -- quick look at their website says they protect under 400 sq. mi. and have 13 Trucks. I'd imagine there are circumstances that could create the 40 mile run, but I can't think it's a regular occurence.

[illbedam]

The department is under-staffed, under-paid, and not treated fairly compared to other public safety jobs.

That's certainly true...on a previous thread about Phoenix when I was looking up the statistics for cities out west San Diego stood out like a sore thumb for the combination of it's low spending per population & very high cost of living -- things you wouldn't expect to go to together since FD spending (like most municipal spending) is predominantly salaries.

Just seeing a Ladder Truck respond nearly 40 miles to a first alarm building fire makes me say

Seems like there's likely more to that story -- quick look at their website says they protect under 400 sq. mi. and have 13 Trucks. I'd imagine there are circumstances that could create the 40 mile run, but I can't think it's a regular occurence.

I was just going by what the folks at station 20 (across from Ipayone Center Sports Arena) said when one (1) of their Ladder Trucks (the second due) was out of service and they were dispatched to cover. The call was at the Univ. Of Cal. San Diego, in La Jolla.

Mileage quoted, I think is off and more like 10-15 miles. Perhaps using the I-5 helped response times, but not sure. I took me over 45 min to get from the same place to the same place as their response (was staying at a hotel near station 20)

By the way, the website now say's the have only 12 Trucks. Just seams to me that there is not enough resources there, but I may be wrong.

[BKDRAFT]

Our Union has been great with regards to keeping our staffing levels where they belong.

SON044 we do owe a debt to you and the others on the Union Board for fighting for us. I hope it will continue in the future, and I am confident it will.

I just wish you (Union Board) and us (Union Members) could have more of a say with regards to getting our Fireboat back, opening more Firehouses, getting more Engines, more Trucks and More BC's....but we are lucky to have what we have I suppose, especially when you look at what the cities around us are going through at the moment (Vallejo for example.....)

What's going on in Vallejo?