A contract between Butler City Council and the union representing the 17 firefighters in the city’s Bureau of Fire provides an incentive at a time when fire services could use one.

Council voted last week in favor of the agreement, which had already been approved by the International Association of Firefighters Local 114.

A two-year contract that would have expired at the end of the year has been replaced by a five-year one that includes pay raises.

While the raise decreases over a period of five years — dropping gradually from 3 percent in the first year to 1 percent in the final year — it’s still a method of encouraging city firefighters to stay on the job at a time when there has been a serious shortage across the state.

Much has been made of Pennsylvania’s fire department staff shortages due to a generational decline of volunteer firefighters and the dwindling of funds to pay for full-time employees.

Fire Engineering, a national magazine that focuses on fire and emergency services personnel, notes that 96 percent of the state’s volunteers are firefighters, and a 2018 legislative study found the number of volunteer firefighters has dropped from 300,000 to 40,000 over a period of about 40 years.

In October, the state’s House of Representatives passed bills to address the shortage, and the state Senate held hearings on the matter.

Some county municipalities have come up with creative ways to deal with the shortage. Butler approved the promotion of three firefighters this year from part time to full time, while Center Township discussed a proposal to unite several municipalities into a cooperative organization that would station paid firefighters in the region to offset increasing calls for fires.

So, the raises included in the new contract between the city and union are a welcome incentive. It’s also good news that the city’s fire department could get a new ladder truck in 2020 to replace one damaged two years ago while battling a fire.

Another element of the contract might please city leaders and residents, even if doesn’t appeal to firefighters.

The contract raises the number of years of service required for retirement from 20 to 25 years for firefighters hired after Jan. 1, and sets the minimum retirement age at 50. There isn’t a minimum age.

While this could conceivably disincentive would-be firefighters, it would be a means of addressing the issue of short staffing, which has long been a serious one in Pennsylvania.