Low-income firefighters in Tomsk are forced to apply for benefits.

The problem of low salaries among employees of the Tomsk fire service voiced at the next meeting of the regional Duma, the deputy Pavel Yudenko (CPRF). 

"A pressing issue <…> concerns regional firefighters, their level of provision. Are you planning to increase the salaries and equipment of regional firefighters and rescuers in the near future?" Yudenko asked the Tomsk vice-governor at a parliamentary meeting. Alexandra Fedeneva. 

Fedenev responded that low salaries aren't just for firefighters, but for other Tomsk public sector employees as well. And it would be wrong to "pick out just one category and give them a raise," as that would be unfair to other public sector employees. 

According to a Tomsk blogger Vasily ShipilovAh, the salary of Tomsk firefighters is 24 rubles. Because of such low salaries, some firefighters in the Tomsk region are considered low-income and receive social benefits.

To draw the authorities' attention to the problem, Shipilov renamed his Telegram channel "Dear Tomsk Named After Impoverished Firefighters." In regions neighboring Tomsk, firefighters' salaries average between 44 and 60 rubles.