OCOEE, Fla. – Firefighters in Ocoee are poised for a big pay increase as departments across Central Florida have been dealing with high turnover.
In a meeting on Tuesday, commissioners will vote to ratify the collective bargaining agreement between the city and the Ocoee Professional Firefighters Union.
The three-year contract provides for a 15% pay increase for the first fiscal year.
The starting salary for a new firefighter would be $56,056. In the following years, all members of the bargaining unit would receive a 4% pay increase if they had not reached the maximum allowed wage for their position.
Under the new contract, the paramedic incentive will increase to $11,648 annually for the first year, and that would increase to $13,104 for the final year of the agreement.
As part of the bargaining, there is also a new incentive for employees who complete tower truck training.
According to the city, higher increases were agreed on to maintain competitive pay positioning in response to shifting market rates.
In July 2025, Ocoee more than doubled its fire-protection fee from $69.50 to $139.23 per unit.
The city has said the increases are necessary to maintain compensation that aligns with the industry.
Commissioners will vote to ratify the collective bargaining agreement during their meeting on Tuesday at 6:15 p.m.