Being a first responder is tough work, no doubt. Whether paid or volunteer — paramedic, EMT, firefighter, law enforcement, etc — I have the utmost respect for anyone taking care of others during their time of need. As a former volunteer EMT myself and the son of parents with a combined 80 years or so of volunteer medial/firefighting, I know how hard this can be.
I have no issues with pay, but I do have issues with the shifts firefighters work. Outside of staffing emergencies, it makes no sense to pay someone for a 24-hour shift, let alone a 48-hour shift. Come on. I don't want to share the road with someone who has potentially been up all night, and I certainly don't want these people making critical medical decisions for me or my loved ones. No thanks.
Now, 8- or 12-hour shifts? That makes sense. Put in your time. Earn the big money that you deserve. Go home to your family and sleep. And then repeat the process with a sharp mind. Getting paid to sleep and regularly having a week or more off would be sweet, but I wouldn't want to do it. Too much emotional baggage from the horrific things these people see on a daily basis.