Atlanta, GA
‘We will see resignations’: Atlanta firefighter union says 2025 pay is inadequate
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – On Tuesday, roughly two dozen Atlanta firefighters showed up to the Atlanta City Council appealing to city leaders to increase their pay plan for 2025.
“If the plan doesn’t change, we will see resignations,” said Nate Bailey, president of Atlanta Professional Firefighters, the union representing roughly 600 Atlanta firefighters and paramedics.
Bailey said the city suddenly removed four large cities – New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia – when calculating the 2025 budget for the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department (AFRD), a change that decreased the overall salary budget by roughly $5 million, said Bailey.
“We need to increase the staffing, and the only way to do that is good pension and competitive salaries,” said Bailey.
Bailey said there are currently roughly 860 firefighters in the department. He said the ideal size is 1,100 members.
Atlanta News First reached out to AFRD to get a sense of their department size. A spokesperson has not responded to that request.
Bailey said he fears firefighters will leave Atlanta for higher-paying departments should the pay scale not be adjusted.
A city spokesperson told Atlanta News First that Mayor Andre Dickens’ commitment to first responders has been clear since he took office.
The city has invested roughly $105 million into Atlanta fire equipment and facilities under the Dickens administration, according to a city spokesperson.
The city said they’ve also increased starting salaries for critical fire positions by 15 to 37 percent since 2022.
“There is always more work to be done. However, Mayor Dickens and City Council have made significant investments in the men and women of AFRD, their facilities and the equipment they use to keep our communities safe,” said a city spokesperson.
The current pay scale would increase the salary for every firefighter and every employee by at least 2 percent.
Bailey recognized the increase, but said that does not match market value and fears the pay will leave the department inadequately staffed.
“It’s a safety issue. It’s a huge safety issue,” Bailey said. “We already have firefighters work 48 hours straight, sometimes even 50-52 hours without sleep, because we have some of the busiest engine companies in the country. So it means more overtime shifts, it means less safe firefighters.”
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Jeff Galloway, pioneer of run-walk-run, dies at 80
The running world is mourning the loss of Jeff Galloway, a transformative figure who democratized distance running for millions. An Olympian and the winner of the first-ever Peachtree Road Race in 1970, Galloway was best known for his revolutionary Run-Walk-Run method.
ATLANTA – Atlanta runners are finding ways to honor the legacy of former US Olympian Jeff Galloway, who was widely known for his run-walk-run strategy, after his death on Wednesday at 80.
What we know:
Officials say Galloway suffered a hemorrhagic stroke and died in a hospital in Pensacola, Florida.
His daughter-in-law, Carissa Galloway, also a running enthusiast, shared a tribute to him through social media following his death.
What they’re saying:
“With Jeff being the winner of the first Peachtree, he sort of automatically is a legend here in Atlanta,” said Rich Kenah, Atlanta Track Club CEO.
Kenah says Galloway will likely be remembered most for inspiring so many people to lace up their sneakers and start running.
Running legend Jeff Galloway passes away in Florida
“We know Jeff in the running world as our hometown hero. You know, our celebrity. But he leveraged that celebrity to bring more people into the sport than anybody else that I can think of. I think that should be his legacy,” said Kenah.
At a Thursday night run along the Beltline, the group held a moment of silence in Galloway’s honor.
“He’s a big advocate for encouraging people to go and run. I was influenced by him. I ran my 1st marathon back in December of 2024,” said Alex Lewis.
As the group took off on their run, they remembered the elite athlete who spent a lifetime motivating others to lead a healthy life one step at a time.
“Even though he was an Olympian and kind of like a celebrity in his own right, he still acted and talked to us normal people, just like a regular guy. He’ll be deeply missed here in Atlanta,” said Lewis.
Atlanta Track Club officials say there will be a moment to recognize Jeff Galloway before the start of Sunday’s Publix Atlanta Marathon.
They’re still planning how they will pay tribute to him at this year’s Peachtree Road Race.
The Source: This is a FOX 5 original report where Denise Dillon spoke with members of the Atlanta running community.
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