Firefighter hazard pay goes before Legislature

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A bill focusing on hazard pay for Idaho’s wildland firefighters is proceeding through the legislative process.

Representative Sage Dixon, R–Ponderay, will bring House Bill 588 before the Idaho House of Representatives today for its third reading.

If HB588 garners the necessary majority vote from representatives, it will advance to the Idaho Senate for committee review.

“It’s an equity issue,” Scott Phillips, Policy and Communications Chief for Idaho Department of Lands said Thursday. “Right now Idaho cannot offer hazard pay when other jurisdictions do.”

IDL released a statement on Tuesday describing the situation the department is in.

“IDL faces extreme challenges recruiting and retaining qualified personnel,” IDL officials said in a statement Tuesday. “After just two seasons, 40% of IDL wildland firefighters do not return to work for the agency. … Those seeking careers in fire often use IDL to obtain certifications and experience, then go on to obtain permanent or higher paying jobs elsewhere.”

When asked how much money was expected to go toward hazard pay, Phillips said it’s not a figure that can be accurately estimated.

“You can’t do hazard pay in a vacuum,” Phillips said.

He went on to explain that different agencies manage different parts of Idaho’s terrain. IDL is responsible for 6.2 million acres of private, state, and federal land. For IDL, the cost of fighting a fire changes depending on where the fire is burning. However, despite all of the variables, Phillips estimated between $330,000 and $390,000 of expected hazard pay could be spent each year, depending on the season.

“Surrounding states and the federal government offer higher wages and benefits, including firefighter hazard pay equal to 25% of hourly rates while engaged in dangerous fire suppression activities,” IDL officials said Tuesday.

Even when Idaho firefighters are helping other states fight their fires, they still get paid Idaho wages.

“Federal firefighters work shoulder to shoulder with IDL firefighters. The state is required to pay hazard pay to the federal firefighter but is not allowed to pay it to its own. When IDL firefighters are dispatched to states that do provide hazard pay, they cannot receive this additional compensation due to Idaho’s laws.”

Phillips explained the reason for this discrepancy; even though Idahoans are working in other states, they are still employed by the state of Idaho, and therefore receive the wages agreed to in the Gem state.

HB588 is looking to make Idaho a competitive player when it comes to acquiring and keeping experienced, trained personnel. If passed, hazard pay would also apply to those who have Red Card credentials.

In Idaho, most firefighters are hired as seasonal workers, and do not receive benefits. Beyond not receiving benefits or hazard pay, firefighters are not paid competitive hourly wages when compared to their counterparts in other agencies — or the working world in general.

“They make $12.55 per hour,” Phillips said. “That is below fast food wages for very dangerous work.”

According to Phillips, IDL made a high priority of increasing wages while working within the department’s budget. This upcoming summer, firefighters will be paid $15 per hour, but it’s not a permanent pay increase.

“I gotta tell you, resources are tight,” Phillips said. “But we made it a priority — it’s that important. We can do it now, but we need that permanent appropriation.”

HB588 is a companion bill to another legislative endeavor. IDL is working with Idaho’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee to create a path to permanently increasing firefighter wages.

Instead of passing a bill, legislators vote to approve state department budgets yearly. During this legislative session IDL is hoping to secure a higher budget so the department can make wage increases a reality.

“We have significant budget increases in our request this year, roughly a 21% general fund increase, which is significant,” Phillips said. “We would not have asked if he did not believe it was truly necessary.”

The proposal is being considered during the current legislative session, as the budget request is for the 2023 fiscal year.

“We really view the legislature as our partner in funding government and ensuring that we are being conservative with the peoples’ money and being appropriate in what we’re asking for,” said Phillips. “IDL is grateful to Representative Dixon for shepherding this through the Legislature.”