You would think rushing into a burning building to save the lives of people trapped inside would merit a living wage - at a minimum. While firefighters can hit salaries of anywhere from $12 to $50 an hour, according the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national average is about $27 an hour.
In the Lowcountry, that average falls to $19.77 an hour or about $41,130 a year. However, those hourly rates can be extremely misleading.
The unique nature of the firefighting profession and those who opt into it is underscored by an even more unique schedule. Generally speaking, firefighters work 24-hour shifts, three days a week with overtime built into their 28-day pay periods.
The typical office employee is scheduled about 2,080 hours a year, while firefighters working this 24-48 (24 hours on, 48 hours off) shift will end up working nearly 900 hours more a year.