Firefighter pay disputed about overtime

Firefighters have dangerous, difficult jobs. They work long hours in a profession that can kill a person on the job.

BAKERSFIELD - 10/2/07 - Story at MSNBC

But it's become an extremely lucrative job, as well.

Newly-released financial records show one county firefighter is paid close to $175,000 in overtime.

The Bakersfield Californian was among the newspapers that successfully fought for the release of these records.

"We have to be prepared to respond at all times, and unlike other types of business, we don't shut down," said Kern County Fire Chief Dennis Thompson.

KernCounty fire captains make about $78,000 in base salary annually. Engineers are paid about $60,000 annually.

The entry-level position of firefighter makes about $45,000, but hundreds of county fire personnel make much more, earning tens of thousands in overtime.

In one extreme case, an engineer with a base salary of $66,000 made more than $176,000 last year.

That's thanks to $104,000 in overtime and a couple thousand more in benefit pay.

He's already made more than $80,000 in overtime this year.

But the records show he is not alone. Dozens of fire captains cleared six-figure salaries thanks to overtime pay that resulted in them more than doubling their base salary.

"I don't have all the information, but when one person is making 150 percent in salary in overtime, there's something not right there," said Kern County Taxpayers Association Executive Mike Turnipseed. "It is cheaper to maintain a constant staffing system that is based on overtime than it is to hire another person."

Thompson said it comes down to additional costs like training and healthcare, so should he hire more people?

"The answer is no because of the difference in benefit costs between straight time and overtime," said Thompson.

Thompson said when you account for the amount of time local firefighters spend working on massive statewide fires, like the Zaca Fire in Santa Barbara, a different picture emerges about the overtime pay.

Those big, multi-agency fires account for about half of the overtime, he said, and the state pays the county back.

"We get 100 percent of our direct costs, plus an administrative fee reimbursed to us," Thompson said.

Thompson said while it seems like certain fire personnel are making a lot of money, they are the ones who usually volunteer most.

Other staff choose not to volunteer, but the chief said that doesn't negate the fire department's responsibility to maintain staffing for public safety.