Troy Firefighters Are Speaking, and the City Is Choosing Not to Listen
Recently, 100 Troy firefighters took the time to fill out a survey about the current incentive plan and the state of the department. The results were stark, but not surprising.
After roughly a quarter of those firefighters left the department, 60 percent of the remaining firefighters said the current plan is actively causing people to leave.
- This is not new information.
- This is not sudden.
- And this is not something that came out of nowhere.
It’s something I’ve been talking about, publicly and consistently, for over two years.
A Predictable Outcome of Inaction
When you design a system that breaks a promise, removes stability, and fails to respect the people doing the work, you shouldn’t be shocked when those people leave.
Troy has lost dozens of firefighters since January 2023, with many more either actively looking elsewhere or on the fence. These are trained, experienced individuals who can easily find work in neighboring departments, departments that are hiring aggressively and offering better conditions.
The idea that Troy can simply “replace” them is unrealistic.
We are not talking about a full-time force that can recruit nationally with competitive salaries. We are talking about a department where:
- Most firefighters have full-time day jobs
- Fewer than five are paramedic-certified
- The city would need roughly 80 people to make a full-time model work
The only viable model right now is something close to the old Clawson-style plan
Ignoring these realities does not make them disappear.
The Meeting That Never Happened
An incentive committee was supposed to present these survey findings to the city this week. That meeting was canceled.
That, too, is unsurprising.
For two and a half years, the city has:
- Failed to make meaningful changes to the incentive plan
- Refused to publicly recognize firefighters
- Delayed, deflected, or minimized concerns
- Allowed attrition to continue unchecked
Canceling a meeting that would force these facts into the open fits a clear pattern: avoid accountability and hope the problem solves itself.
It won’t.
Why This Matters to Residents
- This is not an internal dispute.
- This is not about “benefits” in the abstract.
- This is about public safety.
- Every firefighter who leaves takes experience with them.
- Every unfilled position increases response times.
- Every year of inaction increases risk.
Residents of Troy deserve to know that the people protecting them feel unsupported, unheard, and expendable.
The Reality: Without Organization, Nothing Changes
- The city has shown us how it operates when firefighters are fragmented and isolated:
- It delays.
- It deflects.
- It plays games.
Without organizing into a union or a similar collective structure, there is no reason for the city to change course. History shows that meaningful improvements don’t come from quiet patience, they come when people stand together and demand better.
That shouldn’t be controversial. It’s how accountability works.
A Call to Pay Attention, and Apply Pressure
- Firefighters have spoken clearly.
- The data is clear.
- The attrition is real.
- The risk is growing.
What’s missing is political will.
Residents, council members, and city leadership all need to stop pretending this is sustainable. We need to pressure the city to:
- Acknowledge the problem
- Respect the firefighters who remain
- Fix the broken incentive structure
- Stop delaying and start acting
Because doing nothing isn’t neutral, it’s a choice.
And it’s a choice that puts Troy at risk.