Pay increase approved for Botetourt Fire and EMS

Some of Botetourt County’s Fire-EMS workers will receive a pay increase, thanks to a nod of approval for salary adjustments from the Board of Supervisors at the January 25, 2022 meeting. The Board approved an increase for starting Basic Life Support public safety workers from $36,468 to $40,000 per year, and an increase in starting pay for Advanced Life Support (ALS) workers from $40,480 to $45,000 per year.

The pay increases are to be made in two phases, with 50 percent of the increase retroactively effective January 1, 2022, and another 50 percent increase effective June 1, 2022.

Information supplied to the Supervisors indicated that Botetourt County ranked fifth out of seven regional localities in pay for fire and emergency medical services workers. Neighboring jurisdictions have raised compensation levels for public safety employees in order to stave off retirements and resignations.

Prior to the Board’s authorization of a pay increase, the county’s starting salaries were nine percent or more below the median starting salary of the other localities.

Staff told the supervisors that the low wages impaired the county’s ability to recruit and retain employees for these jobs.

The total cost of the salary increases is $155,000, which staff said could be covered from the current year’s budget.

Staff also noted that the Botetourt County Fire-EMS is currently recruiting new employees for the next Fire Academy. Application information is available online at botetourtfireems.org.

                                                                                          — Anita Firebaugh, Special to The Botetourt Bee