Fire Rescue staffing turnaround under new contract
Summary
The county adopted contracts giving every fire union employee a $20,000 base-pay raise and moving to a 24-on/72-off schedule by 2029 to fix recruitment and retention. Leaders credited the penny sales tax and said it will reduce turnover and mandatory overtime.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 2
- Last 30 days
- 0
Last discussed Jul 14, 2026.
Impact analysis
Significant multi-year payroll increase, with officials calling it fiscally prudent versus turnover costs.
Marion County firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs — and residents who rely on faster, better-staffed emergency response.
Mentions & discussions (2)
Board of County Commissioners Workshop — July 14, 2026
Marion County Fire Rescue reported zero vacancies among dual-certified firefighters and 65 job offers in six weeks since the new union contract took effect, a complete flip from years when 300 of 352 hires were uncertified. Overtime is expected to drop dramatically once the August class hits the field, and the department is transitioning to a 24/72 schedule complying with House Bill 929.
Board of County Commissioners — June 2, 2026
The county adopted contracts giving every fire union employee a $20,000 base-pay raise and moving to a 24-on/72-off schedule by 2029 to fix recruitment and retention. Leaders credited the penny sales tax and said it will reduce turnover and mandatory overtime.
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