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Firefighters urge Colorado Springs council to address pay gaps and aging equipment
Summary
During public comment, Colorado Springs firefighters and union leaders warned that pay will be 10–18% below market in 2026, that some apparatus exceed 25 years old, and that filling salary gaps and replacing equipment would require multimillion-dollar funding decisions the council must confront.
Derek Wheeler, a battalion chief with the Colorado Springs Fire Department, told the City Council during a special budget meeting that firefighters of all ranks will be 10 to 18 percent below market pay in 2026, with role‑specific gaps such as battalion chiefs making an estimated $25,000 less than peers. "Make it so that every time you say you support public safety, you can do so knowing your firefighters are paid fairly," Wheeler said.
The concern is immediate and financial: Wheeler said bringing pay to market would require roughly $10,000,000, increasing the…
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