BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Brevard County firefighters are demanding higher salaries, telling commissioners that crews are overworked and underpaid.
Brevard County Fire Rescue currently has more than 90 vacancies.
Michael Bramson, president for the Brevard County Professional Firefighters Union, said that recent brush fires and the closing of Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital are making a difficult job even harder.
“With the closing of the hospital, we have a new challenge. So now the challenge is, we aren’t as ready as we used to be, and we have some places 25 to 30 minute difference than we had two months ago,” Bramson told Channel 9.
Meantime, commissioners say they are looking for ways to boost firefighters’ pay and department morale.
They voted Tuesday to move forward with a proposal to redirect funds from the North Brevard Economic Development Zone to BCFR to help with those salaries.
A year one firefighter EMT makes about $47,000 annually, but contract negotiations between the union and county are at an impasse.
Commissioners are also looking at the possibility of increasing the county’s fire assessment by up to 37%.
That could cost the average residence an additional $103 per year.
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