Sparks firefighters will not see any bump in their paychecks this year, but at least none will need to lose their jobs.

This is according to the president of Sparks Firefighters Local 1265, Joe Warner. The 91 members of the union agreed Friday that they would forego a 4.2 percent cost of living increase in order to meet city demands for additional budget cuts.

The city needs to trim another $1.7 million from its budget and requested that $370,000 of that come from the firefighters.

By foregoing the wage increases, which the city agreed to in a 2007 contract, the fire department will save the city about $386,000. The city is asking all departments for similar wage concessions.

“The reason we went forward with the concessions was because we wanted to avoid layoffs,” Warner said. “What we did today ensured that the number of firefighters on duty serving the city of Sparks every day will not change. It was not only to save firefighters’ jobs but also to ensure that the current level of service we provide is not compromised.”

Currently, firefighters are at some of the lowest service levels that they can be, according to recent statements by the city’s fire chief.

“Faced with closing down engine companies and/or stations, operationally we are at a point where future budget reductions would certainly create this, and have a direct impact on the safety of the citizens of Sparks, as well as our firefighters,” said Sparks Fire Chief Andy Flock. “Although not out of the woods yet, this effort on behalf of our firefighters and fire prevention personnel is welcomed news.”

The statements of concern were echoed by Warner.

“People understand that our staffing levels have been reduced and it has already affected our ability to serve,” Warner said.

According to federal regulations, firefighters cannot go into a building without having two people waiting outside. According to Warner, this rule changes if there is an imminent threat to human life.

Due to budget constraints, minimum firefighting staffing levels were reduced to three people per engine in December 2008. According to regulations, firefighters cannot enter a building alone.

“The whole time we are waiting the fire is getting larger and property is being destroyed,” Warner said. “There are things that we do like break a window out and squirt water in. We do our best. But it changes the way we have to do our jobs. Normally we go straight into the building.”

The wage increases would have come in two waves. The first wage increase of 2.1 percent would have been applied to firefighters’ checks after July 1. The second 2.1 percent increase would have been applied to checks after January 2010.

“What we did was concede a contractual obligation to the city,” Warner said. “By Nevada statute they could not have accessed that money without our approval.”

And city officials were thankful.

“I want to thank our dedicated firefighters for helping the city keep cost down while still providing a high level of public safety services,” Sparks City Manager Shaun Carey said. “We recognize that these are difficult sacrifices that our fire team has made, and they have done so in order to keep our residents and businesses safe, and to keep the city’s organization intact and fiscally stable.”