California's average firefighter wage is $207K annually. This includes $105K salary, $40K overtime, and $14K additional pay. Additional $42K is added to firefighters' total compensation by way of employer-paid benefits. You will receive $33K towards your retirement pension and $16K for other benefits.
Average total compensation for full-time firefighters in California cities
According to a new study, the average annual salary for a California firefighter was $92,500. This figure includes taxable wages and tips as well as bonuses. Depending on various factors, firefighters can earn as much as $31,500 or more than $200,000
Firefighters in Sacramento work suppression shifts and are on call twenty-four hours a day. They usually work two 24-hour shifts per day, with some down time in the day to rest or eat.
Minimum staffing mandates for fire departments
Minimum staffing requirements require that fire departments have a minimum number of employees. Any vacancies below this number must also be filled by overtime. In some departments, however, this has already been a problem. In Santa Clara County, for example, a lack of firefighters has led to a shortage. Current fire department capacity is about 90%. COVID protocols have forced the cancellation of two training academies.
The state has imposed minimum staffing requirements for fire departments, which have only exacerbated the problem. San Jose is an example of this shortage. It requires firefighters to have 186 people on the job every day. Currently, the city's firefighters work overtime to fill in the gaps, but this will only cause additional shortages in the fire department.
Los Angeles Fire Department earned more than $400,000 in a single year
According to government data, Los Angeles Fire Department's captain is one of the highest-paid workers. He earns more that $470,000 per annum. In fact, firefighters in the department earn more in overtime than their colleagues in other industries. The overtime earnings of the department's captain were $434,394 over a $126,000 base salary. Additionally, the captain received an additional $291,000.45 for six 24-hour work shifts.
LAFD also provides its own ambulances. These are called Rescue Ambulances. They can save lives by being equipped with the most advanced life-support equipment. LAFD crews transport almost 500 people to Los Angeles hospitals each day. Their EMS resources make up the department's emergency reserve. They report to an EMS Captain for each area. However, it is the company commander who has primary responsibility for EMS.