More than a 140 of Raleigh’s lowest paid employees are getting a raise. Most of those employees work in areas like public utilities, solid waste and parks and recreation. They currently make $12 an hour but that will go up to $13.76 per hour. But it certainly caught some first responders off guard. For months now, first responders like firefighters and police have been protesting, asking for higher wages. They made a point to remind the City Council they make less than their colleagues in neighboring departments and that they respond to more calls. But they aren’t included in the raise.