2008 National Run Survey

Part 4

For the 28th year, the career fire service takes to the pages of Firehouse® Magazine to share and compare statistics about company and department activity levels, funding, staffing and pay. A total of 270 fire departments took part in this year's survey, representing 48 states, the District of Columbia and six Canadian provinces.

The departments represented in this latest survey protect 84,291,279 people, and they have budgets totaling $14 billion (budgets are listed in millions of dollars). They provide this service with 3,983 engine companies, 1,405 ladder companies, 2,056 ambulances and numerous other specialized units. They responded to 2,173,886 fire calls, 7,346,682 EMS calls and 10,876,152 total calls last year.

Pay Scales & StaffingDEPARTMENT FF START PAY FF TOP PAY MEDIC START PAY MEDIC TOP PAY WORK WEEK ENGINE CREW LADDER CREW Dothan, AL 30,825 47,174 33,599 51,419 56 4 2 Florence, AL 26,910 31,659 NA NA 56 4 4 Huntsville, AL 34,944 53,435 NA NA 56 4 4 Montgomery, AL 35,403 45,573 37,569 48,360 56 4 5 Tuscaloosa, AL 39,591 52,535 42,841 55,785 51 3.75 4 Little Rock, AR 32,500 47,898 33,949 49,338 56 3 3 Casa Grande, AZ 44,001 60,701 48,401 66,771 56 4 0 Chandler, AZ 43,624 60,996 49,972 67,344 56 4 4 Mesa, AZ 42,973 57,928 49,508 64,463 56 4 4 Phoenix, AZ 44,030 62,317 56,391 68,877 56 4 4 Scottsdale, AZ 44,349 62,054 49,749 67,454 56 4 4 Tempe, AZ 44,324 59,838 52,433 65,822 56 4 4 Apple Valley, CA 50,220 64,254 56,820 70,884 56 3 3 Auburn, CA 42,828 52,080 NA NA 56 3 NA Camp Roberts, CA 42,468 53,580 NA NA 53 3 0 Chula Vista, CA 54,340 66,051 NA NA 60 3 4 Compton, CA NA NA NA NA 56 4 4 El Cajon, CA 51,689 62,928 59,269 71,024 56 3 3 Eureka, CA 41,988 51,048 NA NA 56 3 1 Fresno, CA 56,712 72,420 NA NA 56 3 3 Hanford, CA 42,984 51,744 NA NA 56 2.5 NA Hemet, CA 55,800 67,440 NA NA 56 3 3 Lodi, CA 52,645 63,991 NA NA 56 3 3 Loma Linda, CA 54,287 68,636 62,844 78,297 56 3 3 Long Beach, CA 57,310 70,381 69,274 85,933 56 4 4 Los Angeles City, CA 53,766 78,533 53,766 92,457 56 4 5 Los Angeles County, CA 56,992 83,319 67,060 98,034 56 3.14 4 Modesto, CA 55,562 67,522 57,784 70,223 52 3 3 Oakland, CA NA NA NA NA 52 4 4.4 Oceanside, CA 55,118 77,438 NA NA 56 3 3 Palm Springs, CA 57,357 69,881 66,529 81,048 56 2 3 Salinas, CA 66,204 84,504 74,480 95,067 56 3 3 San Diego, CA 43,803 70,873 NA NA 56 4 4 San Francisco, CA 68,432 95,784 59,722 110,682 48.7 4 5 San Jose, CA NA NA NA NA 56 4 5 Santa Rosa, CA 67,638 80,868 NA NA 56 3 4 Seaside, CA 61,251 74,448 NA NA 56 3 3 Somerset, CA 50,400 53,469 54,000 57,289 56 2 NA Stockton, CA 49,668 74,076 54,113 8,224 56 4 5 Vista, CA 55,176 86,681 NA NA 56 3 3 Watsonville, CA 59,812 80,167 NA NA 56 3 3 Adams County, CO 34,500 60,099 40,500 60,223 56 4 4 Arvada, CO 46,716 61,543 NA NA 56 3 4 Boulder, CO 52,123 66,621 NA NA 56 3 3 Colorado Springs, CO 42,984 61,176 55,500 70,260 56 4 4 Greeley, CO 45,365 63,596 49,568 69,886 56 4 4 Longmont, CO 49,932 59,796 59,148 66,432 56 3 4 Hartford, CT NA NA NA NA 42 4 4 New Britain, CT NA NA NA NA 42 4 4 New Haven, CT 33,983 62,659 NA NA 42 4 4 Waterbury, CT 45,401 56,431 NA NA 50 4 4 Washington, DC 44,302 78,681 48,732 83,111 42 4 5 Clearwater, FL 35,323 52,846 42,387 62,983 53 3 4 Deltona, FL 33,242 58,884 39,969 65,612 56 3 3 Estero, FL 48,317 64,799 57,317 73,799 56 3 3 Fort Walton Beach, FL 32,322 56,047 38,922 62,947 56 4 4 Gainesville, FL 38,615 54,060 42,477 59,466 52 3 4 Hollywood, FL 40,472 57,185 44,674 63,123 46.6 3 2 Jacksonville, FL 35,264 52,938 39,464 58,938 56 3 4 Lake County, FL 32,254 NA NA NA 53 2 3 Marion County, FL NA NA NA NA 57.5 4 4 Miami, FL 49,268 89,007 53,492 96,637 48 4 4 Miami-Dade County, FL 36,559 66,876 56,792 84,151 56 4 4 Ocala, FL 30,951 51,104 35,066 54,742 52 3 2 Orange County, FL 40,000 65,000 45,000 71,000 56 3.7 3 Orlando, FL 42,306 101,612 51,028 110,334 48 4 4 Ormond Beach, FL 36,328 51,170 40,878 55,670 56 3 3 Palm Beach County, FL 46,835 69,192 53,861 79,570 48 3 3 Panama City, FL 28,104 36,015 NA NA 56 3.5 3.5 Polk County, FL 35,148 53,144 NA NA 56 3 3 St. Lucie County, FL 38,732 63,091 47,124 76,259 48 4 4 Sarasota County, FL 34,986 60,024 42,486 67,524 48 2 2 Seminole County, FL 33,620 58,343 40,620 65,343 56 3 3 Tampa, FL 35,243 66,693 42,556 73,756 48 4 4 Tarpon Springs, FL 38,000 59,000 45,000 65,000 56 3.5 2.5 Titusville, FL 36,109 59,287 NA NA 56 3.5 3 Winter Park, FL 38,175 58,769 43,202 66,508 53 3 4 Zephyrhills, FL 30,659 45,989 41,800 58,700 48 3 NA Albany, GA 33,176 50,039 NA NA 56 4 3 Clayton County, GA 35,544 53,555 43,360 65,331 56 3 3 DeKalb County, GA 32,472 59,304 36,492 66,636 53 3 3 Gwinnett County, GA 33,248 61,606 38,479 61,606 56 3 3 Morrow, GA 37,000 52,000 41,000 56,000 52 3 3 Pooler, GA 28,217 41,869 NA NA 2.5 1.5 Y Sandy Springs, GA 40,358 NA 50,358 NA 56 3 4 Thomas County, GA 24,800 38,205 25,430 39,324 53 2 NA Honolulu, HI 42,552 60,540 NA NA 56 5 5 Cedar Rapids, IA 40,100 51,124 41,478 52,502 53 3 4 Boise, ID 40,752 72,804 44,827 72,804 54.6 3 4 Aurora, IL 45,542 74,472 50,010 79,685 49.8 3 3 Carpentersville, IL 53,680 70,063 53,680 70,063 56 4 5 Chicago, IL 45,732 79,092 47,562 84,636 48 5 5 Decatur, IL 46,101 58,831 NA NA 51.8 3 3 Elgin, IL 53,298 71,038 57,138 74,878 50.1 3 3 Lemont, IL 56,000 87,000 56,000 87,000 56 4 4 Mount Prospect, IL 48,881 71,944 51,881 74,944 50 3 4 Niles, IL 53,249 76,800 64,724 76,800 49.5 3 3 Rockford, IL 41,520 62,334 44,637 65,451 51 4 4 Carmel, IN 43,912 52,694 47,912 56,694 56 4 4 Fort Wayne, IN 42,063 60,902 NA NA 56 4 3.5 Kokomo, IN 41,340 45,933 50,067 50,067 56 3 3 Plainfield, IN 35,380 47,438 37,011 50,494 56 4 3 South Bend, IN 35,535 50,075 40,535 55,075 56.15 3 3 Hays, KS 27,900 47,800 NA NA 56 2 2 Kansas City, KS 33,958 64,142 39,046 64,142 52.1 3 4 Overland Park, KS 37,476 64,392 37,476 64,392 56 3 3 Burlington FPD, KY 38,511 43,631 44,288 50,175 56 4 2 Lexington, KY 38,696 70,157 42,594 89,286 56 3 3 Nicholasville, KY 24,460 46,678 NA NA 56 3 4 Greenfield, LA 30,900 38,268 NA NA 56 2 0 Lafayette, LA 25,500 NA NA NA 53 3 2 Lake Charles, LA 23,849 NA NA NA 56 3 3 New Orleans, LA 25,508 NA NA NA 53 4 3 St. George FPD, LA 28,000 56,781 NA NA 56 3.5 4 Shreveport, LA 26,964 31,974 29,364 39,012 56 4 4 Boston, MA 51,503 72,350 NA NA 42 4 4 Brockton, MA 34,537 53,609 37,037 56,109 42 3.5 3.5 Everett, MA 53,977 54,935 NA NA 42 4 4 Fitchburg, MA 36,540 44,997 387,633 40,476 42 3 2 Framingham, MA 40,325 48,361 NA NA 42 4 3 Lowell, MA 42,806 56,066 NA NA 56 3 3 Pittsfield, MA 33,393 40,144 NA NA 42 3 2 Springfield, MA NA NA NA NA 42 NA NA Taunton, MA 37,000 46,000 NA NA 42 3 1.5 Worcester, MA 40,740 66,972 NA NA 42 4 4 Anne Arundel County, MD 36,073 71,204 42,769 82,502 42 3 3 Baltimore City, MD 33,476 53,497 41,169 62,489 42 4 4 Baltimore County, MD 33,433 73,126 33,433 87,363 42 4 4 Hagerstown, MD 37,794 60,195 NA NA 48 2 2 Montgomery County, MD 43,278 90,918 46,278 93,918 48 4 4 Prince George's County, MD 40,848 71,047 NA NA 42 3 4 Salisbury, MD 34,746 55,886 39,509 63,547 42 3 3 Portland, ME 28,195 42,260 29,755 43,820 42 3 3 Lansing, MI 39,696 57,635 41,085 59,652 52.4 3 3 Muskegon, MI 32,486 51,526 NA NA 56 2.6 2.3 Pontiac, MI 29,600 44,762 29,600 48,714 50.4 3 3 Royal Oak, MI 38,661 55,225 41,753 59,643 53.1 2.5 2 Saginaw, MI 32,300 50,700 NA NA 54 3 2.7 Sterling Heights, MI 41,711 66,763 43,796 70,094 56 4 2 St. Cloud, MN 42,984 50,796 NA NA 56 3 3 St. Paul, MN 44,480 74,574 49,550 87,928 56 4 4 Kansas City, MO 31,320 65,288 NA NA 49.5 4 4 St. Joseph, MO 31,233 44,413 NA NA 56 3 3 St. Louis, MO 37,514 57,387 38,194 56,784 52 4 4 Meridian, MS 23,928 51,477 NA NA 56 3 3 Billings, MT 41,736 73,702 NA NA 43.5 3 2 Great Falls, MT 36,492 46,800 41,100 49,489 42 3 3 Burlington, NC 30,847 50,878 NA NA 56 3 3 Charlotte, NC 34,766 62,443 NA NA 52 4 4 Concord, NC 29,785 52,423 NA NA 56 3 2 Durham, NC 33,000 53,228 NA NA 56 3 3 Elizabeth City, NC 28,200 39,400 NA NA 56 4 4 Enka-Candler, NC 26,936 56,271 NA NA 56 3 3 Gastonia, NC 27,014 40,014 NA NA 53 3 4 Rocky Mount, NC 31,815 50,138 NA NA 56 4 4 Fargo, ND 38,686 52,403 NA NA 56 3 3 Grand Forks, ND 35,057 52,586 NA NA 53 3 4 Manchester, NH 38,111 54,337 NA NA 42 3 2 Salem, NH 39,600 46,936 42,643 50,515 42 3 3 Cherry Hill, NJ 45,187 75,312 42,509 58,896 53 4 4 Jersey City, NJ 36,000 97,000 NA NA 48 4 4 Passaic, NJ 26,000 92,000 NA NA 42 3 3 Albuquerque, NM 44,787 56,787 51,193 63,193 56 4 3 Rio Rancho, NM 36,770 46,580 41,757 52,827 53 3 2 Clark County, NV NA NA NA NA 56 4 4 Las Vegas, NV 43,277 77,602 56,942 88,696 56 4 4 North Las Vegas, NV 54,598 76,942 62,786 85,130 56 4 5 Reno, NV 47,703 66,109 NA NA 56 4 4 Albany, NY 36,233 55,743 37,419 57,570 40 3 3 Buffalo, NY NA 53,702 NA NA 40 4 4 Glens Falls, NY 27,328 27,388 48,403 48,403 40 3 1 Lackawanna, NY 41,262 52,235 NA NA 40 3 2 New York, NY 37,000 77,000 41,000 55,000 40 5 6 Niagara Falls, NY 37,758 57,729 NA NA 42 3 3 Oneida, NY 33,337 49,337 41,087 52,087 42.5 3 2 Poughkeepsie, NY 41,618 58,600 NA NA 42 2 2 Rochester, NY 34,428 60,121 NA NA 42 4 4 Schenectady, NY 35,096 54,644 35,096 54,644 42 3 3 Syracuse, NY 37,029 55,140 NA NA 48 4 4 Utica, NY 34,260 55,140 35,260 57,640 40 3 3 Akron, OH 44,969 52,520 44,969 52,520 40 4 4 Bath Township, OH 29,500 33,000 NA NA 56 2 2 Cincinnati, OH 34,915 58,256 40,741 62,334 48 4 4 Columbus, OH 37,460 57,387 40,457 61,978 48 4 4 Dayton, OH 29,993 58,115 37,564 50,710 48 4 4 Eaton, OH 19,468 NA 25,459 NA 36 3 4 Elyria, OH 45,685 59,498 NA NA 50 3 3 Mansfield, OH 36,452 48,648 40,110 52,307 48 2.5 2 Newark, OH 30,680 47,674 32,677 50,773 48 3 3 Norwich Township, OH 39,820 71,109 39,820 71,109 56 4 4 Springfield, OH 42,050 53,105 42,050 54,244 51 3 3 Lawton, OK 30,826 47,959 NA NA 56 3 3 Oklahoma City, OK 55,848 80,600 59,748 84,500 41 4.5 4 Tulsa, OK 34,747 54,420 36,485 59,862 52 3 3 Canby, OR 48,000 60,000 52,000 66,000 56 4 0 Medford, OR 51,564 64,488 54,462 70,614 56 3 4 Altoona, PA 28,962 79,859 NA NA 42 3 2 Erie, PA 30,221 50,369 NA NA 42 4 4 Harrisburg, PA 44,396 61,864 NA NA 42 3 3 Philadelphia, PA 40,036 55,603 40,036 61,163 42 4 5 Pittsburgh, PA 35,250 86,504 NA NA 42 4 4 Reading, PA 51,937 55,315 40,000 55,315 42 2 2 York, PA NA NA NA NA 42 2 2 Providence, RI 39,000 48,000 NA NA 42 3.5 3.5 Anderson City, SC NA NA NA NA 54 4 3 Colleton County, SC 39,679 43,620 47,962 52,738 56 2 2 Gaffney, SC 24,083 48,683 NA NA 56 3 3 Greenville, SC 29,432 NA NA 48,068 53 3 3 Myrtle Beach, SC 30,861 52,603 33,720 59,288 53 3 3 Pawley's Island, Midway Fire Rescue, SC 27,563 41,346 33,502 52,052 56 3 3 Spartanburg, SC 27,600 40,300 NA NA 56 3 2 Sumter, SC 21,500 NA NA NA 72 3 4 Sioux City, IA 41,825 57,150 NA NA 56 3 4 Bristol, TN 30,050 46,975 33,100 51,725 56 3 2 Franklin, TN 34,362 50,274 35,562 51,474 56 3.1 3.1 Memphis, TN 31,679 50,215 54,733 54,733 56 4 4 Arlington, TX 44,772 63,048 47,172 65,448 56 4 4 Bedford, TX NA NA 43,824 57,324 53 3 3 College Station, TX 38,089 56,318 40,489 58,718 56 3 4 Corpus Christi, TX 33,000 48,732 48,732 51,840 52 3.5 3.5 El Paso, TX 35,247 54,684 40,809 60,289 56 3 3 Farmers Branch, TX 52,336 62,395 54,136 64,195 NA 3 3 Fort Worth, TX 47,986 61,235 NA NA 56 4 4 Grand Prairie, TX 46,520 63,916 48,920 66,316 56 4 4 Harlingen, TX 30,000 34,300 30,600 34,900 56 3 1 Houston, TX 35,429 54,000 NA NA 46.7 4 4 Irving, TX 45,564 64,104 45,564 64,104 53 3 3 Lewisville, TX 48,650 60,902 48,800 61,152 56 3 4 Mansfield, TX 36,000 46,665 40,000 50,660 53 3 3 Plano, TX 56,161 66,228 56,161 66,228 56 4 4 Port Arthur, TX 45,520 49,719 42,520 59,276 53 3 3 San Antonio, TX 44,568 52,452 54,240 57,504 53 4 4 Temple, TX 36,751 80,692 37,951 NA 56 3 2 Texarkana, TX 33,974 42,125 NA NA 56 3 1 Waco, TX 38,036 50,369 NA NA 53 3 3 Salt Lake City, UT 36,358 58,677 42,432 66,435 56 4 4 Alexandria, VA 43,617 72,172 41,543 75,147 56 3 3 Chesterfield County, VA 39,000 67,831 44,000 72,831 56 3 3 Fairfax County, VA 48,877 83,416 53,887 83,416 56 4 3 Fredericksburg, VA 39,000 52,000 41,000 55,000 56 3 3 Hampton, VA 36,500 62,925 40,994 66,665 52 3 4 Newport News, VA 36,000 62,330 36,000 64,690 56 3 3 Norfolk, VA 36,743 55,912 43,614 66,355 52 4 3 Portsmouth, VA 32,983 54,420 34,631 57,140 53 3 3 Richmond, VA 38,000 81,000 NA NA 56 4 NA Virginia Beach, VA 38,869 56,360 42,904 62,210 56 3.35 3 Burlington, VT 34,581 58,944 NA NA 56 3 2 Marysville, WA 50,772 72,540 56,356 79,794 49 3 3 Olympia, WA 58,240 73,645 66,903 80,650 NA 3 3 Renton, WA 54,084 72,552 NA NA 46.6 3 3 Seattle, WA 58,958 73,074 67,085 81,202 46.15 4 4 Spokane, WA 46,951 79,858 64,505 87,844 46.15 3 4 Tacoma, WA 42,578 58,677 42,578 58,677 46.1 3 3 Kenosha, WI 39,996 59,796 43,584 63,384 52.3 3 3 Milwaukee, WI 36,167 63,231 36,167 66,392 49.7 4 4.5 Mount Pleasant, WI 47,233 62,550 NA NA 56 3 3 Oshkosh, WI 40,000 55,000 NA NA 56 3 3 Waukesha, WI 39,343 65,152 46,725 66,455 52.3 3.25 3 Charleston, WV 34,186 38,326 35,986 40,126 49.5 3 2 Casper, WY 40,468 52,180 NA NA 56 3 2 Cheyenne, WY 40,802 53,553 49,311 59,062 56 3 4 CANADA Calgary, AB 42,264 65,028 NA NA 42 4 2 Edmonton, AB 46,104 79,034 NA NA 42 4 4 Kaloops, BC 53,516 79,951 NA NA 42 4 4 Brandon, MB 46,177 66,059 46,177 66,059 42 2 1 Winnipeg, MB 41,358 75,134 35,911 74,853 42 4 2 St. John's, NL 32,394 58,898 NA NA 42 4 2 Markham, ON 45,497 75,829 NA NA 42 5 5 Toronto, ON 50,955 76,052 NA NA 42 5 5 Laval, QC 30,642 62,360 NA NA 42 4 3