Firefighters Host Rally For Improved Pay, Working Conditions In Prince William County

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA — During the pandemic, Prince William County halted pay adjustments for its employees. Now, the county's firefighters are leading a push to increase the pay for county employees.

Prince William Professional Firefighters, the association that represents the county's Department of Fire and Rescue employees, is hosting a labor rally on Tuesday evening. The rally will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the county complex, before the Board of County Supervisors hosts a public budget hearing.

Mitch Norse is the president for the local firefighters' association. In a Facebook event posting, the association said they're hosting the rally "to encourage the Board of County Supervisors to provide a dignified compensation package that keeps pace with inflation."

Norse said that the rally is for more than just firefighters. "Tonight is about all county employees," Norse told Patch on Tuesday. "We're advocating for any employee whose pay was frozen in fiscal year 2021."

Norse noted that the pay scale for public employees was derailed by the pandemic pay freeze. The proposed budget for the upcoming year only includes a 1 percent cost of living adjustment. Inflation grew by 7.9 percent from February 2021 to February 2022.

Read more: Nearly 8% Inflation Highest In 40 Years: What It Means In VA, DC

Public support for the county's firefighters has been primarily positive. "Folks, they're behind the message that you need to protect the protectors," Norse said. He estimated that more than 100 people will turn out to support public safety employees at Tuesday's rally.

Prince William County's supervisors have met with local firefighters throughout the budget process. Norse said that they've been receptive, but it hasn't reflected in the budget proposal.

"I don't envy their position," Norse said. "The only thing I ask is that we treat employee compensation as the true bedrock."

In recent years, Prince William County's Department of Fire and Rescue has lost 125 employees, according to the local association of firefighters.

Norse said he sees where former Prince William County firefighters go based on their social media. "We're friends with them, and they're smiling as they're standing in Montgomery County's recruit school getting a new badge or Fairfax County's recruit school getting a new badge," he said. "Those are the ones that sting the worst."

Norse believes that if Prince William County could increase their pay rate or working conditions. The county's firefighters have also expressed their desire for increased medical physicals.

Norse would like the county to cover some ultrasound diagnostic procedures for firefighters. The procedure can help identify some cancer and heart conditions that disproportionately impacts firefighters due to their career.

Currently, Prince William County's firefighters have to pay for the procedure out of pocket. One county employee learned of their thyroid cancer through the test while another found out they had an aortic aneurysm, according to Norse.

Tuesday's rally will begin at 5:30 p.m. at 1 Complex Court in Woodbridge. Attendees can receive pizza, drinks, stickers, and shirts. The firefighters' association encouraged people to wear at the rally to show their support.

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