Friday, August 23, 2024
In an effort to help boost volunteerism at the Gatesville Fire Department, the City of Gatesville is proposing to raise the incentive pay budget for volunteer firefighters from $25,000 to $50,000 per year.
Introduced to the fire department five or six years ago, the goal of the incentive pay is to help support volunteer firefighters who often need to respond to weekend and after-hours night calls. The total incentive pay – currently $25,000 – is split between the volunteers based on the number of calls they can respond to.
“They don’t get very much at $25,000,” Gatesville Fire Chief Billy Vaden said. “There are a few who make the majority of all the calls – 75% to 85% of the calls – and they get quite a bit. But the guys who work during the day out of town, and are just available for night calls, they end up not getting a lot.”
The raise in the incentive pay was brought to light during a reading of the city’s proposed budget at a Gatesville City Council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 13. It is part of the fire department’s annual operating budget from the city, which is proposed at nearly $373,000 for 2025.
The fire department currently boasts around 36 volunteer firefighters, but only a small majority can show up at every call since many of them also hold full-time jobs or work outside of the county. Vaden hopes the incentive pay will encourage a larger group to show up for minor calls that often occur in the middle of night.
“If we could just double our participation at night, we would be in really good shape,” he said.
The fire department normally gives incentive pay to firefighters twice a year, Vaden explains. Each volunteer is required to make at least 15% of the calls to receive the pay. At $25,000, he said most firefighters receive around $500 each per year, while those who make the majority of the calls receive up to $2,000 each. With the proposed increase to $50,000, their incentive pay could double for the year.
“It gives them something to look forward to, a little extra money,” Vaden said.
Interim City Manager Brad Hunt said the incentive pay is a way for the city to help support the volunteer model.
“We understand the vital role these volunteers play in keeping our city and the surrounding communities safe,” Hunt said in an email. “We encourage volunteerism and hope this increase will help Chief Vaden continue to meet his emergency response needs and goals in the coming year.”
The fire department makes about 800 calls per year, an average of around two to three calls a day. Vaden told the city council that the calls have steadily increased over the years, therefore, requiring volunteers to put in more time to respond to emergencies.
“They have to balance their home life with fire department life. It is what it is,” Vaden said. “Anything we could do to encourage them to be here – that’s what we’re going to have to do. If you don’t, you’re going to have to hire a fire department.”
The Gatesville Fire Department saves the city approximately $2 million each year by remaining as a volunteer department.
The station covers approximately 287 square miles of Coryell County. It also receives help from partnerships with other county volunteer fire departments and the paid fire department in Copperas Cove.
