VIDEO: The firefighter shortage has come to an end for the city of Jacksonville as officials said they are now fully staffed. Jacksonville Fire Chief, Matt Summers, told WICS they have hired four new firefighters in the last six months.
Summers said this is the first time in many years where the station has received an influx of applications. In past years, theyโve received between six to 12, but this year they received nearly 70 qualified applicants. Summers said this was a city-wide effort to combat the shortage, with feedback from current firefighters and the mayor.
โA brand-new union contract with the city, increased pay, starting pay,โ Summers said. โPay wages went up quite a bit, we increased our residency radius which was just a few miles. [It was] really the county into an actual circle of 30-mile radius, so that does reach over into Springfield, over to Pike County, Scott, Green.โ
