Detroit Firefighters Get 4 Percent Raise, After 20 Percent Cut During Bankruptcy

DETROIT (WWJ) Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced 4 percent raises Friday for the city's firefighters.

Duggan said nearly half of the firefighters are now certified as medical first responders and the city is recognizing their efforts with the pay raise. The mayor said a lot of lives have been saved because of the firefighters and their advanced training.

The median salary for city's 892 firefighters is currently $51,000.

Duggan added the city's demolition program has led to a drop in the number of building fires in Detroit. There were 2,324 fires by July in 2014. There have been 1,717 this year, per the Detroit News.

Still facing what is undoubtedly one of the toughest jobs in the city, some Detroit firefighters don't see it as a raise because they had their pay cut 20 percent during the city's bankruptcy.

"It's more of a give back, but at least we're heading in the right direction," said Sgt. Paul Attard.

Attard said the raise pales in comparison to the cuts they had to take during the city's bankruptcy, but concedes Duggan is doing all he can.

"We have received new equipment and we're heading in the right direction, things are getting better, I mean it won't happen overnight, but there are some improvements," he said.

Duggan said the agreement also extends the union contract for an extra year and adds another 3 percent raise next year.

Firefighter union president Mike Nevin called it a little bump in pay, adding it's more an adjustment than a raise.

"We took an economical and emotional beating during the bankruptcy, we know that, and our primary focus coming into office was money," Nevin said. "I've been beating on the mayor's door every day asking for money."