Are City Firefighters Overpaid?

[JS.Fletch5]

EMT here in a very busy 911 system… I’d make a lot more as a Starbucks barista! Love the work and the life.

You don’t do this career for the money. The sacrifices you make, from starting at the bottom of the ladder as an EMT, to getting into fire… it’s a lot.

 

[Jsmalls273]

We don’t get paid for what we do, we get paid for what we’re willing to do.


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[JS.Fletch5]

We don’t get paid for what we do, we get paid for what we’re willing to do.


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This is a really good way to put it.

 

[BRTreedogs]

All I will say is I've already told both my boys that they dont have a choice.... there both going to be "fireman" when they grow up....

You want you boys to be stuck up pretty boys?

I've yet to meet a FF that wasn't all im saying.

 

[Squincher]

Here’s a question - if wages dropped 40% would the force still be full? I think it might be.

The point about EMS earning crumbs compared to firefighters is a good one… are EMS underpaid or fire overpaid? Yeah it’s not the same job but the trauma can be similar.

Anyway I’ve never worked and will never work a job where any moment my life may be on the line but I just found my dinner table discussion interesting. Of course our city has union!!

You answered your own question right there.

 

[BRTreedogs]

 

[Lawnboi]

Genuinely curious about the overall numbers. I find it fascinating someone would do it for very little (retirement or medical coverage)

I can’t tell you the numbers, but around me the number is significant, we are a career dept surrounded completely by volunteers. We sometimes rely on their assistance, and vice versa.

Volunteers are sometimes paid. I was when I was a volunteer. I got an hourly wage when I was working.

Most volunteers do not staff a fire house but respond to it, then to the emergency. As you can assume this can add significant time to respond to an emergency. Time of day, time of year, etc can impact the level of response you get. Most volunteer departments are struggling to find qualified individuals with the time available and a job that may let them leave at a moments notice. This is becoming a nation wide problem and talked about greatly throughout the profession. Some don’t want to admit it, or might cover it up, and that’s an even bigger concern. Shit we can’t even find people who want to get paid anymore to do it.

Not to mention EMS, the bastard child of the fire house. Nobody wants to ride an ambulance for free anymore. Volunteer ambulances that once operated around my area are gone, and ones that still operate highly depend on career departments to provide ALS treatment when needed, which is basically any time there is a true medical emergency or traumatic event.

 

[Lawnboi]

You want you boys to be stuck up pretty boys?

I've yet to meet a FF that wasn't all im saying.

Hey now, im Bald, short, hairy and wear glasses, I got it all.

I’d expect a cop to think I’m lying about all that though!

 

[Hnthrdr]

You want you boys to be stuck up pretty boys?

I've yet to meet a FF that wasn't all im saying.

Brother I am ugly as sin and pretty down to earth and fight fires for a living

 

[BRTreedogs]

Hey now, im Bald, short, hairy and wear glasses, I got it all.

I’d expect a cop to think I’m lying about all that though!

Brother I am ugly as sin and pretty down to earth and fight fires for a living

Good if I'm ever down for the count I only want to wake up to kisses from uggos

 

[Rifleman86]

Sometimes I’ll be on the road for 48-72hrs and believe it or not, I’ll pack my meals before I leave for the entire trip!
I’m amazing!

Good for you.

I assume if you so chose, you would be allowed to stop and buy something to eat during that 48-72 hr period?

I can assure you that if and when you do, nobody gives a flying f$ck about it either. Nor should they.

I’ll never understand some people’s indignation that firefighters, whose sole job is to ride a fire truck in order to be ready to respond to an emergency, take said truck to get food for their 24 hr shift.

Nobody bats an eye when any other professional vehicle is parked somewhere to get food. But a fire truck!? The horror!

I seriously don’t get it, it’s like some weird sort of jealousy disguised as holier than thou fiscal conservatism. I can assure you, there are about 1,000,000 wasteful things government does that needs to be addressed prior to the half gallon of diesel it takes to drive a fire truck two minutes down the road to Kroger, get food and engage with the community a bit.

 

[Douglasr]

A good friend of mine is a volunteer fire fighter. He's all messed up from seeing broken an burned people in car wrecks and fires. No they are not overpaid.

This fr, but the way they go to the grocery store together in their big truck is just kinda weird and I’m jealous of it.
I’m in there trying to line something up in the produce department and here comes 6 fit mustaches having mf’s. Smh.

 

[HuntHarder]

Good for you.

I assume if you so chose, you would be allowed to stop and buy something to eat during that 48-72 hr period?

I can assure you that if and when you do, nobody gives a flying f$ck about it either. Nor should they.

I’ll never understand some people’s indignation that firefighters, whose sole job is to ride a fire truck in order to be ready to respond to an emergency, take said truck to get food for their 24 hr shift.

Nobody bats an eye when any other professional vehicle is parked somewhere to get food. But a fire truck!? The horror!

I seriously don’t get it, it’s like some weird sort of jealousy disguised as holier than thou fiscal conservatism. I can assure you, there are about 1,000,000 wasteful things government does that needs to be addressed prior to the half gallon of diesel it takes to drive a fire truck two minutes down the road to Kroger, get food and engage with the community a bit.

Not True. There are lots of companies trucks that aren't allowed (in the public's eyes) to take breaks or eat. Any company or business that is taxpayer funded or provides a service, you have no choice but to accept, (water, gas, electric) are constantly under the microscope. I live it every day and see no reason to try and convince anyone otherwise.

I have plenty of FF buddies, they all do well and have Tons of Vacation time. The benefits are great, the time off is great, the money is great. Having to live with guys your whole life is the part that is not great. The toll of interrupting your sleep and messing up your circadian rhythm is real. It is proven to lower testosterone and cause all kinds of other issues. In my line of work, it seems guys die younger than most and I believe it has to do with our lifestyle. (I am not FF, but have some similarities in our line of work.) FF's make good money, but the only way to make great money is to get a 2nd job or pick up a bunch of extra shifts.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Good for you.

I assume if you so chose, you would be allowed to stop and buy something to eat during that 48-72 hr period?

I can assure you that if and when you do, nobody gives a flying f$ck about it either. Nor should they.

I’ll never understand some people’s indignation that firefighters, whose sole job is to ride a fire truck in order to be ready to respond to an emergency, take said truck to get food for their 24 hr shift.

Nobody bats an eye when any other professional vehicle is parked somewhere to get food. But a fire truck!? The horror!

I seriously don’t get it, it’s like some weird sort of jealousy disguised as holier than thou fiscal conservatism. I can assure you, there are about 1,000,000 wasteful things government does that needs to be addressed prior to the half gallon of diesel it takes to drive a fire truck two minutes down the road to Kroger, get food and engage with the community a bit.

Nah they are jealous of any profession they applied for and didn't get the job, or wished they had the balls to do.

It's universal

Similar to all the welllllll I was gonna join the Military but blah blah blah.

They wanted/wished they could get it but didn't so now they are mad

Just like me every time I see the truck for the guy that oils up models for a living.

I'm like ohh that sob, and I shake my fist. Can't believe he gets payed to oil up women and he also gets to eat breakfast. Grrrr

 

[BRTreedogs]

Not True. There are lots of companies trucks that aren't allowed to take breaks or eat. Any company or business that is taxpayer funded or provides a service, you have no choice but to accept, (water, gas, electric) are constantly under the microscope. I live it every day and see no reason to try and convince anyone otherwise.

I have plenty of FF buddies, they all do well and have Tons of Vacation time. The benefits are great, the time off is great, the money is great. Having to live with guys your whole life is the part that is not great. The toll of interrupting your sleep and messing up your circadian rhythm is real. It is proven to lower testosterone and cause all kinds of other issues. In my line of work, it seems guys die younger than most and I believe it has to do with our lifestyle. (I am not FF, but have some similarities in our line of work.) FF's make good money, but the only way to make great money is to get a 2nd job or pick up a bunch of extra shifts.

You have a job that you are not allowed to eat?

All day?

Gtfo out of here.

 

[HuntHarder]

You have a job that you are not allowed to eat?

All day?

Gtfo out of here.

Good post

Try and follow along here... I will go slow for you. In the public's eye, many companies or servants are looked at negatively (by the general public) while eating or taking breaks. Literally had a guy walk into a breakfast place this last weekend and start yelling at 4 officers eating breakfast in their uniform.

You seemed triggered, calm down, just a conversation.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Good post

Try and follow along here... I will go slow for you. In the public's eye, many companies or servants are looked at negatively (by the general public) while eating or taking breaks. Literally had a guy walk into a breakfast place this last weekend and start yelling at 4 officers eating breakfast in their uniform.

You seemed triggered, calm down, just a conversation.

You literally said there are alot of jobs that are not allowed to take breaks or eat.

That's literally against the law.

So please clarify.

I'm not triggered. Just seems like you are making stuff up.

 

[HuntHarder]

Fixed my original post so you can understand it was not literal, just a view the public holds..

 

[Rifleman86]

Not True. There are lots of companies trucks that aren't allowed (in the public's eyes) to take breaks or eat. Any company or business that is taxpayer funded or provides a service, you have no choice but to accept, (water, gas, electric) are constantly under the microscope. I live it every day and see no reason to try and convince anyone otherwise.

I have plenty of FF buddies, they all do well and have Tons of Vacation time. The benefits are great, the time off is great, the money is great. Having to live with guys your whole life is the part that is not great. The toll of interrupting your sleep and messing up your circadian rhythm is real. It is proven to lower testosterone and cause all kinds of other issues. In my line of work, it seems guys die younger than most and I believe it has to do with our lifestyle. (I am not FF, but have some similarities in our line of work.) FF's make good money, but the only way to make great money is to get a 2nd job or pick up a bunch of extra shifts.

I’ve never seen anyone complain about a power worker, garbage worker, etc taking his lunch break, or grabbing something to eat at a gas station, etc.

The difference? Nobody grew up wanting to be the garbage man.

Yes of course we are under the microscope… It comes with the territory. But of all the things to get indignant about, buying food on duty when you work 24 hrs at a time seems very petty.

As has been explained ad nauseam in this thread, there are a lot of good reasons for it to be allowed, and the few reasons people give as to why they are opposed to it are a bit of a stretch.

 

[Rifleman86]

I imagine people who like to complain about firefighters buying food on duty are the same people who whine to the HOA when you leave your garage can in your driveway.

Some people aren’t happy unless they have something to complain about.