ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – The St. Johns County Firefighters Union says current staffing levels and mandatory overtime are pushing first responders to the brink — and now they’re hoping a new work schedule will bring relief.
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Union leaders are preparing to meet with county officials Friday, as part of an ongoing effort to reduce firefighter workweeks from 56 hours to 42 hours.
“This will save firefighters’ lives,” said Dave Stevens, president of the St. Johns County Firefighters Union. “This will reduce injuries and accidents. This will be better for patient care for our citizens. This is the right move to make.”
Currently, many local firefighters are working 24-hour shifts with mandatory overtime, sometimes causing 48-hour shifts with little downtime. Stevens said the schedule -- combined with the county’s population growth and rising emergency call volume -- is causing serious fatigue.
Nearly $5M for recruitment
In the county’s newly passed budget, roughly $4.9 million is set aside for firefighter recruitment and retention. The union says those funds could help support the proposed schedule change.
“Those dollars can go into what we need for year one to start the process of the 42-hour work week,” Stevens said.
While contract negotiations aren’t limited by what’s in the budget, the union believes the funding opens a path forward.
Firefighters offer to forgo raises
To help cover costs, Stevens tells News4JAX reporter Briana Brownlee that firefighters are even offering to give up scheduled raises.
“We are actually offering to forgo any cost-of-living increase for the next two years to help the taxpayers fund the 42-hour work week,” Stevens said.
That means firefighters would not receive the 7% pay raise recently approved for all county employees.
Starting pay for a firefighter in St. Johns County is currently $17.65 per hour, or roughly $52,000 annually — and that would remain unchanged under the proposed schedule.
“This isn’t about raises. It’s about health and safety,” Stevens said.
What’s next?
The county won’t comment on the contracts while negotiations are happening, but they are expected to present a proposed offer on Friday.
“I feel confident that everything is there, in place to make it happen,” Stevens said.
News4JAX will continue to follow developments from the negotiation process and provide updates as more information becomes available.