James Island firefighters advocate for better wages at budget meeting, salary increase approved

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – Firefighters filled a James Island Public Service District Commission meeting on Monday to advocate for higher wages.

“Recently with the pay disparity that’s been going on, I’ve had to seek out employment elsewhere. I shed a tear putting in my two-week notice a week ago,” said one James Island firefighter.

The commission voted to pass the Fiscal Year 2025 budget which includes a district-wide salary increase to bring staff members up to $42,000, if they weren’t already making that amount.

A 5% cost of living adjustment and an additional $1,500 for hourly employs are also part of the plan.

The vote came after heartfelt pleas from a number of people who stood up to speak during the public hearing section of the meeting.

“You know who my husband was. Brad Baity was one of the Charleston Nine,” said Heather Baity to the commission. “We are your worst-case scenario, and you are going down a path that will lead you there.”

Sean Foulois, the president of the James Island Professional Firefighters Association, called the outcome of the meeting, “disgraceful.” He told News 2, the starting salary for a James Island firefighter is just under $37,000 and said the $42,000 minimum salary will have a negative impact on the department because of compression.

“Firemen are actually going to make more than engineers. So that’s the compression. So as was stated in there, what’s their incentive? You know, it would be to their benefit to resign and have the district hire them back as a firefighter,” Foulois said.

News 2 also spoke with Commission Chair Marilyn Clifford who acknowledged the compression concerns.

 “This is a step in the right direction, and I think we’ve got the people and our public safety all behind us now,” Clifford said.

Commission officials decided during the meeting they will look into another millage increase to vote on next month to raise salaries even higher than what was approved on Monday.

“It would make sense that we try to pay and take care of the people that take care of us in a moment of crisis, a lot better than what we have in the past,” Clifford told News 2. She explained they will research a possible 2-3 millage increase in addition to the five millage increase already approved.