[LakeCleElum]

I have many friends that are firefighters and all are nice guys that I really like. More than a few have died of job related cancer at an early age. I also have the highest respect for those fighting forest fires. Much different that an urban fire-fighter.

That being said, I live in the rather wet, rainy, damp climate. Fires in the urban and residential areas are damn rare. Way back in the 1960's, firefighters figured out the new building codes and sprinkler systems could make their job obselete. That's when they decided to go into the ambulance and rescue business. In my town, I know for a fact they turn the siren on when passing city hall on a low priority call and shut if off a few blocks down the road. They want all in city hall to think they are overworked.

Another scam is the Fire Depts are in bed with insurance companies. Insurance companies set their rates according to the location, equipment and staffing of the fire stations. A good ladder is two years old, throw it away and spend taxpayers money on the newest and best. The insurance companies say we should. We need a need a new fire station staffed by 8 people 24/7. The taxpayers take it in the shorts again. My county is crying huge budget shortages, but the new fire stations look like a Muslin temple......

In my area, they work about 9 24 hour shifts per month. It's only the 2nd profession where one gets paid to sleep. I worked a lot of night shifts in college and early in my career w/o getting to sleep on the job. They work maybe 8 hrs of their 24 hr shift. Evening are spent in the expensive Lazy boy watching movies, reading, internet, etc.

For this, most in my area make over 100K a yr. with a little overtime.

Like many emergency service jobs, they are paid well because of the risks involved. Moses neighbor should take the bad with the good and be out their guarding the back of his peers!!