PALM BEACH GARDENS — The city’s fire department is preparing to hire 33 new firefighters, reduce employee working hours and give raises to its personnel.
The City Council in September approved a new three-year contract for firefighters and paramedics, which will cost more than $5.8 million over the length of the contract. Starting Oct. 1, sworn employees began to receive a 24% salary increase given in increments until the contract expires. They received raises as part of their previous contract, but those were not as high as this year’s, according to Fire Chief Keith Bryer.
In the third year of the new contract, firefighters will follow a new work cycle of 24 hours on duty and then 72 hours off, which is six fewer working hours each week.
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Bryer said the higher pay and shorter workweeks will help the department recruit more new employees, which has been a challenge amid a nationwide shortage of firefighter recruits.