Let’s talk wages for a minute.
According to the 2024 Compensation Survey commissioned by CBJ,
Wages for CCF/R firefighters were consistently ranked below average across Alaska and the broader Pacific Northwest.
Firefighter/EMTs receive 9% below average pay.
Firefighter/Paramedics receive 19% below average pay.
The starting wage for a Firefighter/EMT is $20/hour.
Where are we now?
Vacancies
There are currently 8 unfilled union positions, leaving the remaining staff to fill in the workload gaps.
Resignations
20 union members have resigned.
5 administrative staff also resigned.
Recruitment
7 firefighter recruitment cycles have resulted in only 1 or 0 qualified applicants.
14 job offers were extended, then rejected.
“Recruitment efforts have remained challenging. We seldom have more than 3 qualified applicants for a job posting.”
CCF/R responded to 18 structure fires in 2024.
8 of those fires had no volunteer response. Most career departments rely on some previously agreed upon mutual aid for supplemental response from surrounding departments.
Juneau’s geographical inaccessibility does not allow for this option.
Average responders to fires by duty status
There is insufficient data to show the average on scene time for all responders.
Off-Duty staff and volunteers are usually responding from home and not nearby, therefore an initial on-scene time is typically greater than responding On-Duty Staff.
100%
of all 18 fires in 2024 did not have sufficient responders per the national standard set by NFPA 1710.
The national standard for fire department staffing, set by NFPA 1710, says that 15 firefighters should be on scene in 8 minutes for a single story house (less than 2,000 sq. ft.).
For homes greater than a single story or multi-unit dwelling, a minimum of 28 firefighters is standard.
For structures greater than 7 floors, such as Mendenhall Tower, the standard is 43.
The entire CCF/R line staff, when all positions are filled, is 44 firefighters.
What about medical calls?
A third ambulance was only able to be staffed approximately 35% of the year.
In 2024, at least 16% of all calls for CCF/R response were stacked.
This means that for 1 out of every 6 calls, the appropriate unit for the emergency was delayed in response because they were already dedicated to another active emergency.