TROY, Mich. — The City of Troy is changing how it rewards its volunteer firefighters, replacing a system that provided incentive payments every five years with annual payouts beginning Jan. 1.
The change affects members of Troy's volunteer fire department, which city officials say is the largest volunteer fire department in Michigan. The department consists of 13 full-time staff members and more than 100 volunteers.
WATCH: Troy changes firefighter incentive program, moving volunteer payouts to annual schedule
Among them is Paul Chambers, a businessman who has served as a volunteer firefighter since 2016.
"I joined because I thought it would be an interesting experience and a phenomenal way to give back to the community," Chambers said.
Although Troy's volunteer firefighters are not full-time city employees, they undergo the same training requirements and receive incentive payments tied to their service. City leaders recently updated that program after hearing feedback from firefighters.
"We learned after these 31/2 years or so that our firefighters were looking for some changes," Troy Mayor Ethan Baker said.
According to Baker, the city worked with its incentive committee, which includes representatives from each fire station, to develop a revised plan.
Under the previous incentive structure, firefighters were required to serve 10 years before becoming eligible for a lump-sum payment of approximately $80,000, followed by smaller payouts every five years. Officials said many volunteers wanted payments distributed more frequently.
"They were looking for more frequent payouts as opposed to the five-year lump-sum payouts," Baker said.
Starting Jan. 1, firefighters will receive annual incentive payments. According to the city, those payments will average roughly $8,300 per year, depending on a firefighter's tier and role. New firefighters will become eligible after three years of service.
"They're not compensation," Baker said. "They're incentivizing service and encouraging people to join in the first place and encouraging people to stick around when they've been doing it for a number of years."
The city is also recognizing some of its longest-serving firefighters. Volunteers who had at least 25 years of continuous service as of May 1, 2025, and remain active through at least Jan. 1, 2027, will receive special recognition.
"When we changed the plan back in 2023, there was a cap at 30 years of service for any kind of incentive payments," Baker said. "Administration and city council made special arrangements for these long-serving firefighters."
Troy resident Susan Grabowski said the changes appropriately acknowledge the commitment volunteer firefighters make to the community.
"I think it's great that they're getting recognition for the hours that they put in for volunteering," Grabowski said. "Hopefully it incentivizes more people to join the volunteer firefighters."
For Chambers, the incentive payments are not the reason he continues to serve. He responds to roughly 120 to 150 calls each year, often leaving from his home or office to assist.
"We're over 140 firefighters," Chambers said. "We never need to call neighboring departments for support. We respond as a team and as a force."
City leaders hope the revised incentive program will help recruit and retain volunteers while continuing a model that has helped support Troy's fire service for decades.
