Vicksburg firefighters and paramedics should be able to complete training and achieve raises quicker following an alteration in the tier pay system for the Vicksburg Fire Department approved by the Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen Monday.

Instead of having to take the majority of training courses at the Mississippi Fire Academy in Pearl or the National Fire Academy in Maryland, the revised regulations will allow for fire department employees to take more courses locally.

“We’re getting some flexibility. The goal is to save some of the money we’re spending on travel expenses and provide some training alternatives for our officers so they can earn pay raises in a more timely manner,” said Vicksburg Fire Chief Keith Rogers.  

The tier pay system for fire department employees was initiated in May 2002. About 120 employees of the fire department are in the system — basically all of department’s workforce aside from the deputy chief, chief and those in clerical positions. The department spends about $45,000 annually on training, said Rogers.

There are five tiers of pay per rank, and specified training courses must be completed at each tier to advance. Rogers said many firefighters have expressed frustration with the tier system because the training courses are not offered frequently enough in Pearl and it is taking them longer than anticipated to earn raises and promotions.

“We originally thought it would take three years for someone to move through five steps on the tier system and achieve the top pay for their rank, but it is taking an average of five years right now,” Rogers said.

For firefighters, advancing one tier in the system usually equates to a $750 to $1,500 annual raise. For paramedics, which require longer training sessions, the pay increase can amount to as much as $5,000 per tier, said Rogers.

“This is not designed to just give away pay increases. They have to earn this, and it’s a pretty difficult process. I still support training at the fire academies, but we need some alternatives for the officers,” he said. “It should do away with some of the roadblocks some officers were encountering before.”

Local professionals will be tapped to provide some training, and more courses are expected at the training tower north of downtown. Rogers said he also hopes to provide more non-mechanical training, such as computer training.

Mayor Laurence Leyens said Ergon Marine and other businesses have certified trainers.

“This will also provide our emergency responders to train for emergencies that could actually happen here instead of doing all their training in Pearl,” said Leyens. “We’re opening it up to other types of classes.”

Lamar Horton, director of human resources for the city, said this is the third revision to the tier pay system — which is a separate program from the merit pay system for other city departments — since its inception.