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.
Salaries ranged from a low of $21,960 a year to a high of $80,430 a year. Some firefighters suppress fires in forests and vacant public land, and remain at a base camp during the fire season. These firefighters, who may not work year-round, earned a median annual salary of $45,600 in 2013, according to ONet Online.