here's all I wrote
On balance, it's a really great gig if you can get it. That is ONE reason why so many volunteer for years. So many want that gig. The gig provides ALL kinds of off-time to pursue other ventures.. rental properties, whatever.
What annoys me is this over-played
holier than thou crap. Yeah, beepbeep, 9-11-01.. lot of
first responders --not just FF's-- hustling like they never had before... the situation was huge. And on flight 93... the few
passengers, --normal people just on their way home, or to a customer-- hearing of the situation took the FIGHT to the attackers. ...they took those hi-jacking monkey-butts and drove them (and themselves) into the ground - fast! --Not because their identity predisposed them to take action. ...they would see no hazard pay, or their loved ones again.
Point is,
People - of all professions, will step up w/o pay. ...and then those are those guys in far away places making a LOT less, doing MUCH harder work, WHILE people are trying to k'k'kk
'KILL them.
So, now, if anyone wants to directly refute my comment
being a FF is a Really great gig if you can get it w/o condescending comments about who I'll call if my house is on fire, then let's hear it. All this deflection about 'but look how hard they work' is just that. Plenty of people work harder, in higher risk situations, for a lot less.
Subtext: the OP and others are doing you FF's a favor. That is pointing out that there IS a limit to the good-will people will direct toward first responders. That the days of FF walking on water are numbered. That doesn't mean they aren't useful, appreciated, whatever... Just that the milking of "I'm a FF, put money in this boot, as we snarl traffic - but it's okay that we wander in the road, and slow traffic, we're trained safety specialists... look, suspenders... helmets... " (it's getting old, and annoying, and so gd liberal - coercing others to pay for your supposed causes)
For another example where it's over done; Driving a big ass fire-truck around so a couple of guys can tell me that the inspection stamps on one of my extinguishers is out of date is
just stupid on multiple levels.
But hey, Good thing there are trained professionals to come along, look at the little needle, in the green zone, and make the risky call that this one, it's stamp-worthy. --
then the men from the giant truck blocking customers is happy. --SO Stupid.
You're welcome.
PS, I made it extra ranty, so you could more easily dismiss.
