Lawton fire, city officials searching for solutions to firefighter retention

What is the solution to firefighter retention and recruitment?

Lawton Fire Chief Jared Williams and members of the City Council have some ideas.

City Council members directed city administrators to look at the issue in late October, when Williams brought them statistics and asked for discussion about how to retain his work force. Mayor Stan Booker said the council understands the problem, adding that no one on the council floor objects to the idea of increasing fire pay.

“Where do we get the money?” Booker asked, of discussions needed to balance expenses and need.

Williams said firefighters and their union want to be part of the solution, adding that when city and union representatives reopened discussions on firefighters salaries for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the result was “meaningful discussions.” That issue must be addressed, Williams said, adding the City of Lawton would need $11,000 more per year to get new fire recruits to the average pay of peer cities ($54,221) and $20,000 more for firefighters at the top of the average pay scale ($78,070.72)

That’s part of the reason the council’s proposal was to hire an entity to analyze Lawton Fire Department, for evaluation and consideration of a long-term plan identifying cost savings and efficiencies that would increase fire pay and benefits without raising taxes “unduly for citizens,” Ward 8 Councilman Randy Warren said.

Warren, the council’s longest-tenured member, wanted another idea analyzed: allow the fire department to add an ambulance service. Supporters say Lawton firefighters are almost always the first emergency responders on the scene for medical emergencies. But because the department doesn’t have a credentialed ambulance service, it cannot bill for any actions it takes as a licensed ambulance company can.

It’s an idea Lawton Fire Department has suggested in the past, and something past councils and city administrators have considered several times, but ultimately rejected because of costs.

Williams said while city administrators are committed to firefighter salaries that increase retention, the solution won’t come tomorrow.

“There’s no quick fixes,” he said. “It will take time to work.”