Pay increases given by Arnold.

[Hillbillies]

Arnold has given pay raises to nearly 50 top state administrators.  The largest raise goes to Ruben Grijalva, director of the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.  His salary is up 27 percent from $133,732 to $169,500.

http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070328/NEWS/703280329/1033/NEWS01

[Wildman]

Hillbilly...the reason you posted a pay raise in the Disaster section is why?

When was the last time the Director got a pay raise?  If it was five years ago, that 27 percent doesn't really add up to much.  Have you priced the cost of housing around the state capital lately...pretty expensive.   Perhaps you should research what local fire department chiefs are making.  Running an entire state department looks pretty reasonable.

[Hillbillies]

Maybe I should have posted it "In the News."  But since the biggest pay increase was to the head of fire protection...it kinda fits the disaster topic.

Take a breather...   I am happy for the guy.  I am sure he has a lot of responsiblity.  I have a pretty good idea what some chiefs are making.

I am waiting for the appauled crowd to chime in.   

[mensajanitor]

good for the director. i wish all the people that put it on the line for us every day would get an increase in pay. if they sit around the fire-house all day and play cards all the better. i love cops and firefighters.

[gypsywolf]

Ditto...

Risking your life every day is never compensated by any salary..

[RobertW]

I can see where Hillbilly's post can be taken two ways.  It could have been posted as: "Can you believe how much raise this guy got?"  Personally I took it as:  "Finally, fire protection is getting the recognition it deserves!!"

I for one am good to see someone who carries the responsibility he does in the fire protection field is being recognized for the work that he does.

Here in the city of Burbank such raise percentages and more are often given to people who for the most part don't do anything.  It is just plain politics.

Kudos that raise was given to a person that deserves it. 

[Firemn41]

I wish he would of given a raise for the rest of the State firefighters. I don't even remember the last time CDF Firefighters even received a cost of living raise.

[Hillbillies]

I don't even remember the last time CDF Firefighters even received a cost of living raise.

Are you serious ?  The CDF has not had a cost of living raise in recent years ?  That's cr_p If it's true!

[Firemn41]

Yes that's true. The only pay increase that has been seen by the fulltime Firefighters is their FLSA pay. It increased to true 1-1/2 pay instead of half time that they have been getting forever. They should of been getting that since day one for the simple fact that CDF works 12 days a month when other Dept's work 10 days a month. This year in the Union negotiations the Seasonals received a 7% increase which only brought them up to the new minimum wage. If you divide the hours they actually get by their monthly base check, they are at Minimum wage hourly. The pilots and I believe the people in the service centers that fill orders for station supplies and issue equipment to the field troops received a small 5% raise I think but as far as BC's, Fire Captains, Engineers and Fulltime Firefighters we received nothing again. BC's were actually reclassified and now the new BC's will make less then what a top step Captain makes. So their is no incentive to promote past Captain. CDF still gets paid roughly 20+ percent less then most other Departments not to mention is away from their families 2 additional days a month. You should see how much those CDC guys make. They are the rich ones. Some pulling in almost 200K a year

[K9luvr]

And just think--the Forest Service is losing a lot of it's firefighters to CDF because they pay SOOOO much better!  One of the Captains on the Texas Canyon Hot Shots just got offered a job with CDF and is moving over. 

As a District Ranger, I got paid a gross of $90K a year.  I'm not saying this is a bad salary, however, my equivilents in LA County fire at the same level of responsibility were making around $140-150K a year....    I took a cut in pay to move to New Mexico but because the cost of living is so much less here, my disposable income almost doubled! 

The beginning base salary for an engine captain on the ANF is $45,699.  This does not include overtime or hazard pay.  When off on a fire, they do not get paid "portal to portal" like state and county agencies.  Southern CA forests are merely training grounds for the state and local agencies.  Retention is becoming a real issue.  Not only for fire (GS 462 Forestry Techs get a special salary bonus) but for other functions as well.  You just can't afford to purchase a home and raise a family on what the Federal Government pays in southern CA.  When I brought this up to the Regional Forester and one of the Deputy RF's, I was told--"you just need to convince people what a great agency we are to work for."  OH BROTHER!    (another reason I left--overhead just didn't "get" it!)

[Firemn41]

That is one of the main reasons I left the Feds. I enjoyed my time on the Angeles and learned alot but CDF had more to offer. I am happy with CDF but when you see a Municipal Capt making about $1,000 a day for Overtime and a CDF Capt makes around $600.00. You can be a Firefighter/Medic for a Municipal Dept and make as much as a CDF Fire Captain.