RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) As election day gets closer, they will be just about everywhere — yard signs urging people to vote for a candidate.
Chances are you will see another type of yard sign urging people to support Raleigh firefighters.
“It has been our priority this election season to really get out and really get engaged with the community. Educate the voting residents of Raleigh on the issue we’re facing,” said Andrew Davis.
Davis is the president of the Raleigh Professional Firefighters Association. He said in the coming weeks they plan to give out free yard signs to people who live in Raleigh and business owners who want them.
Their goal is to work with city council candidates to address staffing issues and better pay.
“Ultimately, yes, we are fighting for more benefits for our members, but however this ultimately falls back on our residents and the business owners of Raleigh. If we can’t attract and attain adequate resources to staff these fire trucks, it’s you all that suffer. It is your safety,” Davis said.
Back in June, Raleigh City Council passed a more than a $1 billion budget, which includes raises for police and firefighters.
But, it was not as much as police and fire associations hoped for.
Firefighter starting pay is going from $39,200 to $46,540, shy of the roughly $53,000 proposed by Raleigh Firefighters Local 548.
As far as staffing, the city of Raleigh confirmed with CBS 17 Friday there are 75 vacancies in fire uniform positions.
However, there are 50 firefighter recruits in the current academy. Another 30 firefighters from other communities will be on board by end of this month.
Davis said since the budget passed, 20 firefighters have left the department to go elsewhere.
“When people have to make those hard decisions to look at other jobs and other cities and other municipalities that do value their fire departments, it’s the residents of Raleigh that are going to see their insurance taxes go up,” he said.
Davis said people can order a yard sign now and said they should be here in a couple of weeks.
He said the Raleigh Professional Firefighters Association is also planning a candidate town hall.
Link to order yard sign – Local Elections — Local 548
