Bill Overview
Title: Wildland Firefighter Fair Pay Act
Description: This bill exempts federal wildland firefighters, fire management response officials, and accompanying incident meteorologists and management teams in the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, and the National Weather Service from certain premium pay limitations for work relating to wildfire emergencies. The bill applies to premium pay for 2022.
Sponsors: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Target Audience
Population: Federal wildland firefighters, fire management officials, and incident meteorologists in the US
Estimated Size: 15000
- The bill specifically mentions federal wildland firefighters as the primary target population; they are the ones directly involved in wildfire response efforts.
- Federal agencies such as the Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture, and the National Weather Service are mentioned, indicating that workers affected belong to these agencies.
- The bill applies to those engaged in wildfire emergencies, which narrows the population to those directly participating in wildfire control and management efforts.
- The premium pay exemption suggests that these workers are currently subject to pay limitations that do not reflect the hazardous and intensive nature of their work during emergencies.
- The bill explicitly uses a time frame for the pay exemption (for 2022), meaning it affects those working by or during this year.
- There are approximately 10,000-15,000 federal wildland firefighters, which commonly includes various forest service and land management personnel.
Reasoning
- The Wildland Firefighter Fair Pay Act is primarily limited to federal wildland firefighters, incident meteorologists, and fire management officials involved in wildfire emergencies. This demographic is relatively small, estimated between 10,000 and 15,000 people.
- The policy specifically addresses premium pay limitations, indicating a financial focus. Thus, interviews should focus on economic feelings and how increased compensation might improve well-being.
- Given the restrictive monetary budget, we expect the impact to be primarily financial and potentially improve quality of life measures temporarily during periods affected by wildfires.
- Since these firefighters work under hazardous conditions, the policy aims to alleviate some of the financial pressures and stresses associated with their work. We expect measurable differences in well-being related to financial stability but less in other life domains.
- The policy is retroactive to 2022, suggesting that the budget would have incremental impacts over years matched to frequency and scale of wildfire emergencies.
Simulated Interviews
Wildland Firefighter (California)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The pay could use an overall boost, not just for emergencies. But every bit counts.
- Non-restrictive premium pay sounds great, especially with how unpredictable fire seasons are.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Fire Management Officer (Colorado)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's a positive development, but I feel it doesn't address the full scope of challenges we face.
- Bringing more focus to fire management funding and response is crucial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Incident Meteorologist (Montana)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Financially, waiving limits helps, but we need more comprehensive changes for job stability.
- Many meteorologists work extended periods that aren't just during emergencies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Wildland Firefighter (Texas)
Age: 37 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy is overdue; these fires are becoming our new reality, and we should be adequately compensated.
- Hopefully, this opens doors for better financial support systems.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Incident Commander (Oregon)
Age: 42 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Anything that attempts to aid our pay structure is a move in the right direction.
- Changes need to be institutionalized, not just temporary measures.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 3 |
Wildland Firefighter (Idaho)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As someone newer to this field, removing pay limits during emergencies makes a big difference.
- This could help us retain more seasoned firefighters.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Fire Operations Supervisor (Alaska)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While beneficial, this policy should be a stepping stone toward a more permanent solution.
- The issue is wider than pay — equipment and station resources are lacking too.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Wildland Firefighter (Washington)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I appreciate the policy, even though it's short-term.
- Pay should reflect appreciation of both the risk and the skill we provide.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Seasonal Firefighter (Nevada)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The exemption is definitely something new hires like me are happy about.
- It might keep more of us entering full-time positions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Wildland Firefighter (Arizona)
Age: 38 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- A holistic approach to compensation would better serve all involved.
- Short-term financial perks are welcome but this work demands lasting support structures.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $90000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $130000000)
Year 2: $90000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $130000000)
Year 3: $90000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $130000000)
Year 5: $90000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $130000000)
Year 10: $90000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $130000000)
Year 100: $90000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $130000000)
Key Considerations
- The existing limitation on premium pay has financially impacted employees with intensive working hours during wildfire peaks, affecting their earnings significantly.
- The implied increase in pay due to lifting caps might improve retention and recruitment, addressing the growing demand for wildland firefighters due to increasing wildfire threats.