The City of Chippewa Falls Fire and EMS will begin offering a signing bonus to new employees immediately in an effort to improve recruitment numbers.
The signing bonus will total $2,500, in two payments. New hires will receive $1,250 up front and $1,250 after 12 months of work for the department.
“We’re not looking for average, we’re looking for the best quality candidates we can get,” said Lee Douglas, fire chief at Chippewa Falls Fire and Emergency Services. “In today’s highly competitive marketplace with fewer recruits coming out of school, this could just be one of those things that an excellent candidate could look at favorably.”
Douglas said the funds are meant to defray moving costs or simply be an incentive for trained employees to join their department.
Douglas said the department is actively looking to fill two open positions.