US Seeks To Bolster Firefighter Ranks as Wildfires Increase
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — U.S. wildfire managers are considering shifting from seasonal to full-time firefighting crews to deal with what has become a year-round wildfire season and increasing pay and benefits to make the jobs more attractive.
There’s a push in Congress to increase firefighter pay and convert at least 1,000 seasonal wildland firefighters to permanent, full-time, year-round workers.
U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief Christopher French told the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on Thursday that firefighters are underpaid.
With the number of fires this year already outpacing last year's destruction, federal officials say they face a potential shortage of firefighters because of a low starting wage of $13 an hour.
KEEP READING: Here are the most popular baby names in every state
Using March 2019 data from the Social Security Administration, Stacker compiled a list of the most popular names in each of the 50 states and Washington D.C., according to their 2018 SSA rankings. The top five boy names and top five girl names are listed for each state, as well as the number of babies born in 2018 with that name. Historically common names like Michael only made the top five in three states, while the less common name Harper ranks in the top five for 22 states.
Curious what names are trending in your home state? Keep reading to see if your name made the top five -- or to find inspiration for naming your baby.
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