For this reason, it is popularly called the flesh-eating disease and although rare, it became well-known to the public in the 1990s. Even with top-notch care today, the prognosis can be bleak, with a mortality rate of around 25% and severe disfigurement common in survivors.
Nationally, while the average firefighter will earn in the mid-$40,000âs, a lieutenant will earn about $55,000 annually, a captain about $60,000 and a fire chief approximately $70,000. Firefighters frequently earn overtime wages, training or education reimbursements, paid vacation time, and sick leave.
The median annual wage for firefighters was $48,030 in May 2016. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,700, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $81,110. Firefighters typically work long periods and varied hours.