A recent social media post by the ex-wife of a San Francisco firefighter has brought renewed attention to the San Francisco Fire Department's (SFFD) costly overtime practices, alleging that employees are "taking advantage" of the system. The tweet, from user Marc Joffe, highlights long-standing concerns regarding the department's significant expenditures on overtime. This public statement comes as the SFFD continues to face substantial budget overruns related to staffing.
The San Francisco Fire Department is projected to spend approximately $65 million on overtime by the end of the current fiscal year, exceeding its budgeted $53 million by $12 million. This marks the third consecutive year the department has significantly overspent its overtime allocation. In the previous fiscal year, 2023, the SFFD reportedly spent $73 million on overtime, surpassing its budget by $20 million.
The primary driver behind these consistent overtime overruns is attributed to persistent staffing shortages within the department. The SFFD currently has 1,640 sworn positions, a notable decrease from 1,764 in 2019-2020. Factors contributing to this deficit include a high number of retirements, ongoing challenges in recruiting new firefighters, and a backlog in the training academy, necessitating increased reliance on overtime to maintain operational readiness.
Concerns about the exploitation of overtime practices are not new to San Francisco's public services. As stated in the tweet, > "Ex-wife of San Francisco firefighter slams the City's costly overtime practices and how employees are taking advantage of them." Historical reports, such as one from 2001, have previously identified "leave abuses" and "weak internal controls" as contributing factors to high overtime and disability claims within the Fire Department, suggesting systemic vulnerabilities.
The ongoing financial burden of these overtime expenditures places significant strain on the city's budget, diverting funds that could be allocated to other public services. City officials are under pressure to find sustainable solutions to address the root causes of the staffing shortages and bring the spiraling overtime spending under control. Efforts to boost recruitment and streamline the academy process are underway, but comprehensive long-term strategies are still being sought to mitigate the issue.