Fort Wayne Fire Department Overtime Costs Scrutinized Amid Contract Dispute

City Council requests presentation on FWFD overtime hours as union contract negotiations continue

Apr. 15, 2026 at 2:50am

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A conceptual illustration featuring overlapping, geometric shapes in shades of red, orange, and yellow, representing a firefighter's helmet and oxygen tank in a dynamic, fragmented style that conveys the fast-paced nature of the job.A fractured, high-energy illustration captures the urgency and physical demands of firefighting as the city council scrutinizes the fire department's rising overtime costs.Fort Wayne Today

The Fort Wayne City Council held a presentation on the rising overtime costs of the Fort Wayne Fire Department (FWFD), which paid out nearly $3.5 million in overtime pay last year. The overtime is largely driven by sick leave usage, with firefighters able to take up to a year off for non-duty-related injuries under the current contract. As the FWFD and union await an arbitrator's decision on a new contract, the city council is closely examining the overtime issue and whether the year-off provision is fiscally responsible.

Why it matters

The FWFD's high overtime costs have been an ongoing concern for the city council, with questions raised over the years about why the overtime line item continues to increase. The presentation comes as the city and the firefighters' union are in contract negotiations, with the council eager to address the overtime issue in the new agreement.

The details

According to FWFD Chief Eric Lahey, the department paid out nearly $3.5 million in overtime pay last year, with 54% of that cost coming from non-duty-related sick leave. The department has a 'hire-back' procedure that requires calling in additional firefighters if there are fewer than four assigned to each apparatus for more than 10 hours. In 2025, the department had 44,272 non-duty-related sick hours, resulting in 37,187 hire-back overtime hours costing $1.86 million. The total overtime cost, including duty-related injuries, was $3.41 million.

  • In 2025, the FWFD had a total of 44,272 non-duty-related sick hours.
  • The department paid out nearly $3.5 million in overtime pay last year.

The players

Eric Lahey

Chief of the Fort Wayne Fire Department.

Nathan Hartman

A Republican member of the Fort Wayne City Council.

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What they’re saying

“We've been looking at overtime for a while because that's been creeping up.”

— Nathan Hartman, Fort Wayne City Council Member

“We have 12 years of questions about the overtime line, and what goes into overtime. Why is it increasing? Why does it continue to increase? Why does your sick time continue to increase?”

— Eric Lahey, Fort Wayne Fire Department Chief

“The reality is, I don't like seeing my firefighters work too much overtime. To work a 48-hour shift is a lot of hours, and it takes its toll.”

— Eric Lahey, Fort Wayne Fire Department Chief

What’s next

The FWFD and the firefighters' union are awaiting an arbitrator's decision on a new contract, which the city council is eager to review in order to address the overtime issue. The council believes both sides have taken the overtime problem seriously during the negotiations.

The takeaway

The Fort Wayne Fire Department's high overtime costs, driven largely by non-duty-related sick leave, have been a long-standing concern for the city council. As the department and union negotiate a new contract, the council is focused on finding ways to responsibly manage overtime expenses while still supporting the firefighters.