Shania Shayal Prasad 
Concerns regarding the adequacy of compensation for National Fire Authority firefighters were recently raised before the Standing Committee on Social Affairs.
Committee member Aliki Bia questioned whether current allowances sufficiently address the life-threatening risks of the profession.
NFA Acting Chief Executive Joel Israel acknowledged the increasing dangers, citing higher fire loads caused by overdevelopment, illegal building extensions and unsafe use of premises.
“Some people, some of the public, use the premises as storerooms. That actually hype and hikes up the fire loads, the fire risks, endangering themselves and also endangering the people outside of their perimeters.”
Israel confirmed that while firefighters receive fixed duty allowances, the current structure is limited by the NFA’s existing budget.
To supplement pay, the authority provides a benefits package including medical insurance for domestic and overseas coverage as well as life insurance.
The life insurance is a term life package featuring a $10,000 payout and funeral benefits for line-of-duty deaths.
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