ORANGE COUNTY, Fla — Dozens of Orange County firefighters are earning more than $100,000 a year because of overtime, 9 Investigates has learned.
The fire chief said some of the overtime can't be avoided, but the union said it's because of a shortage.
Investigative reporter Daralene Jones dug deeper, and learned that fire departments across Central Florida are spending tens of millions of dollars on overtime, and taxpayers are paying for it.
[ Document: Firefighter Overtime by County ]
Orange County firefighters responded to about 115,000 fire and medical calls last year. Some of the critical work, requires overtime pay.
"Built into each position is 156 hours of overtime per year," Chief Otto Drozd said.
9 Investigates learned more than 40 firefighters are earning more than $100,000 a year because of overtime.
We reviewed the numbers and discovered the top five earners collected between $28,000 and $44,000, last year in overtime.
County leaders say some of the extra pay is also because of the firefighters’ credentials, seniority and length of service.
"[That’s] almost enough to hire another person. Why can't you just do that?” Investigative Reporter Daralene Jones asked.
"You can, and in some cases we do. But if you look at the positions they're the battalion chief positions," Drozd said.
Overtime cost the department $15 million dollars in the last 5 years including $3.5 million last year.
In a statement, the Orange County Fire Union said: "Firefighter staffing levels are established by the county. If the county does not hire enough people, it must pay overtime to maintain safe staffing levels. Orange County firefighters must work overtime in order to compensate for the staffing shortage the county has created."
The chief told 9 Investigates some overtime can't be avoided because federal law mandates anything over 52 hours a week is overtime. Orange County firefighters work a 56-hour week.
Chadwick Hardee, chairman of Orange County Tax Watch, said those federal mandates put the department in a tough spot.
"I think you're probably going to see it stay around that or see it go up because of cost-of-living increases,” Hardee said.
9 Investigates compared the numbers to other Central Florida counties. Firefighters racked up between $6 million and $20 million in overtime across the area.
Some Seminole firefighters earned even more than those in Orange County, where the chief said the agency is working to control costs. Firefighters now use a biometric system to clock in and to clock out. The goal is to ensure employees are working the time claimed. It also keeps track of who's earning overtime.
In theory, no one person is allowed to rack up overtime.
"We put in a system of accountability that gives us the ability to audit, because what you look at a lot of times is mismanagement of the paperwork," Drozd said.
The fire chief said off-duty overtime work is reimbursed to the department. In Orange County, a class of 28 recruits recently graduated and another class of 30 recently started work.
"Over the last three years, more than 108 firefighters have left for other agencies or jobs that pay more, and this does not count the firefighters who retired or were terminated," the union president said.