New leadership, new policies and an increased workload have created a windfall for hundreds of Columbus firefighters, pushing the pay for many of them into six figures last year.
The Columbus Fire Division spent nearly $2.5 million more on overtime in 2015 than the average of the previous three years. Total spending on firefighter overtime in 2015 hit $8.6 million.
Along the way, about 100 firefighters — whose base pay was $65,000 to $80,000 — earned enough overtime to push their total pay past or near $100,000, according to public records requested by The Dispatch. More than 200 firefighters earned overtime equal to at least 30 percent of their base pay. One battalion chief earned more than $185,000 last year with nearly $46,000 in overtime, making more than Mayor Michael B. Coleman and the fire chief.
Columbus Fire Chief Kevin O’Connor and public safety Director George Speaks said the overtime is the result of increased demand from the public and having fewer firefighters. Hiring more firefighters to reduce overtime would cost even more, O’Connor said, because of the additional insurance and benefits costs.
“The question is, what is the trigger point to hire more firefighters?” O’Connor said. “My analysis found that hiring more firefighters to fill this need would cost more than $10 million, so I think we’re doing the right thing.”