General Discussion

lumberjack_jeff

(33,224 posts)

99. I'm sure it's different in different areas.

Mon Jul 9, 2012, 03:16 PM

Jul 2012

In my little town, it'd exactly as you describe it.

The 7 firefighters are the top 7 earners in the town. They all make 6 figures (in a town with a $52,853 median family income)

24 "on" and 48 off. The total call volume required maybe one off-the-sofa event per day. Most if not all of them had self employment gigs to fill in the time off bringing their income up further.

It is a gravy gig, and a politically active one too. Whenever the topic of fire district consolidation comes up, they're the first to go door to door telling the elderly residents how long it will take for an ambulance to come to their houses. "Vote for us and no one gets hurt".

I was a city councilperson for 12 years, so I know what I'm talking about. Firemen are the only people paid to sleep.

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FIREFIGHTERS TO BE PAID MINIMUM WAGE [View all] madashelltoo Jul 2012 OP

That should sit really well with the firefighters. Don't expect them to be risking their lives teddy51 Jul 2012 #1

Every one of them will need to quit and find a job that can pay them enough to live on. Marrah_G Jul 2012 #8

Fast food pays more than this obamanut2012 Jul 2012 #85

Bingo Marrah_G Jul 2012 #96

Then you really don't know anything about us do you? permatex Jul 2012 #60

Sorry, no offense intended and I am on your side, but this sucks big time that they would teddy51 Jul 2012 #62

No offense taken permatex Jul 2012 #64

And just to add, nobody in their right mind would expect a Firefighter to work for minimum teddy51 Jul 2012 #65

Nobody except Rmoney. permatex Jul 2012 #66

I did say "in their right mind". lol teddy51 Jul 2012 #72

I do, volunteer paramedic south of the border for ten years nadinbrzezinski Jul 2012 #68

You are right permatex Jul 2012 #71

By the way "Welcome to DU" the home of the happy campers, (sometimes). teddy51 Jul 2012 #73

Thank you for the warm welcome. permatex Jul 2012 #75

What he said. freshwest Jul 2012 #77

Thank you. permatex Jul 2012 #78

Well I know nadinbrzezinski Jul 2012 #74

So how do you put food on the table, working for free? Zalatix Jul 2012 #90

Who said I worked for free? permatex Jul 2012 #94

No, but many have families and mortgages and bills Marrah_G Jul 2012 #97

Every Reason To Vote GOP In Pennsylvania. TheMastersNemesis Jul 2012 #2

A perfectly sane choice. Blue Owl Jul 2012 #101

I disagree. Minimum wage isn't even enough to keep a family housed and fed. NYC_SKP Jul 2012 #3

Also, if you have no children or any dreams or hobbies. dmr Jul 2012 #14

Yes but that is only if both parents work only 40 hours a week. zeemike Jul 2012 #28

If minimum wage had kept up with CEO pay since the mid 90s CrispyQ Jul 2012 #95

I looked at the article and must have missed the firefighters bit riverbendviewgal Jul 2012 #4

Here's an accurate link tammywammy Jul 2012 #5

Despicable. jaded_old_cynic Jul 2012 #9

Their police chief left Friday for a better job.... Historic NY Jul 2012 #15

I'll bet it is going to privatized services. notadmblnd Jul 2012 #27

Security job positions would pay better obamanut2012 Jul 2012 #86

Put in the wrong link madashelltoo Jul 2012 #12

An important story, please fix your link. (nt) enough Jul 2012 #6

Every firefighter, cop, emt, etc in the country needs to see this Marrah_G Jul 2012 #7

Wrong. They don't want a minimum wage at all. They want us all working for kestrel91316 Jul 2012 #24

true Marrah_G Jul 2012 #51

I'm so going to moon that asswipe if I ever see him on the streets of Harrisburg. HopeHoops Jul 2012 #10

Just so you know ... Historic NY Jul 2012 #18

Yeah, Harrisburg has its own financial problems. Corbett doesn't give a shit. HopeHoops Jul 2012 #47

So a firefighter could get the same amount as AsahinaKimi Jul 2012 #11

Actually, Less Bettie Jul 2012 #20

Post removed Post removed Jul 2012 #30

At least be honest and acknowledge that the fire fighters work 40 hours plus Live and Learn Jul 2012 #33

No, they don't. blueamy66 Jul 2012 #36

Although things differ per union negotiation in local governments Live and Learn Jul 2012 #42

I don't have the time to work for others to get paid fairly. I just know what I know. blueamy66 Jul 2012 #43

Don't smoke in bed. aquart Jul 2012 #45

I don't smoke in bed....never smoked a day in my life blueamy66 Jul 2012 #52

Well fortunately 4 u, you're not paying anything 4 the dead ones in NYC MichiganVote Jul 2012 #58

This message was self-deleted by its author seaglass Jul 2012 #54

sorry, but for most, it is a cake job blueamy66 Jul 2012 #80

This message was self-deleted by its author seaglass Jul 2012 #98

A CAKE JOB? permatex Jul 2012 #61

You had a worst schedule than my locals nadinbrzezinski Jul 2012 #70

Not just a cake job, but a sort of apple tart-y kind of job. closeupready Jul 2012 #89

I have no idea what FF that was nadinbrzezinski Jul 2012 #69

And how many of those 24 hours is actual firefighting done? blueamy66 Jul 2012 #83

Really... nadinbrzezinski Jul 2012 #88

I'm sure it's different in different areas. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2012 #99

This message was self-deleted by its author seaglass Jul 2012 #100

Define "work". lumberjack_jeff Jul 2012 #102

The getting paid to sleep meme Live and Learn Jul 2012 #104

If your shift is 24 on 48 off, you're getting paid while asleep. nt lumberjack_jeff Jul 2012 #106

more info here.... sweetapogee Jul 2012 #13

Mayor Doherty sweetapogee Jul 2012 #16

Might as well get their emegency workers from a day labor agency. lpbk2713 Jul 2012 #17

guess what? sweetapogee Jul 2012 #19

typically volunteer firefighters work in their own neighborhoods & (as i know from our own rural HiPointDem Jul 2012 #32

I appreciate your thoughts sweetapogee Jul 2012 #39

The same training and desire, JoeyT Jul 2012 #35

as an EMT sweetapogee Jul 2012 #44

"would not pay my expenses" = you don't do it for the love? HiPointDem Jul 2012 #103

And the Philadelphia FOP (Police Local #5) endorsed Crotchbett BumRushDaShow Jul 2012 #21

Scranton appears to be between a rock and a very, very hard place. Marooned Jul 2012 #22

JFI, minimum wage is NOT "just enough to stay alive" really for anyone. Lionessa Jul 2012 #23

Exactly, the only good that might come from this Live and Learn Jul 2012 #34

30+ years of voodoo economics. pansypoo53219 Jul 2012 #25

+1 aquart Jul 2012 #46

That's not fair to all the Ouija board users in congress. L0oniX Jul 2012 #53

I think I know a city that won't have any fire emergency service soon. notadmblnd Jul 2012 #26

The firefighters need to walk en masse. Vinca Jul 2012 #29

FD union contracts almost always have a no strike clause permatex Jul 2012 #63

Maybe if a couple of mansions catch fire... cbrer Jul 2012 #31

Fuck the GOP - their brutal assault on government employees has to stop. Initech Jul 2012 #37

This is the unilateral action of a Democratic mayor hack89 Jul 2012 #38

IAFF - that's what it's all about. If there wasn't a Union supporting the rights of firefighters jillan Jul 2012 #40

maybe sweetapogee Jul 2012 #48

I wouldn't pay a cut rate for brain surgery Aerows Jul 2012 #41

again my passion... sweetapogee Jul 2012 #49

I appreciate your input Aerows Jul 2012 #56

GOP shill quote: Why should they get more than a Chinese fire fighter gets? L0oniX Jul 2012 #50

So if they mayor's house is burning the firefighters can do a minimum wage job putting it out? liberal N proud Jul 2012 #55

what's with thread titles all in caps lately.? Otherwise, good topic Liberal_in_LA Jul 2012 #57

They should ALL quit Politicalboi Jul 2012 #59

There would be 8000 more ready to go to work in a heartbeat. blueamy66 Jul 2012 #81

What's next, privatizing the department? nadinbrzezinski Jul 2012 #67

K&R DeSwiss Jul 2012 #76

The sad thing is that if the minimum wage was even reflective of current financial realities... AJTheMan Jul 2012 #79

There's Pennsylvania BEFORE e-voting and Pennsylvania AFTER e-voting... Junkdrawer Jul 2012 #82

This is horrible and stupid. yardwork Jul 2012 #84

Just adding that many are paid around the clock Puzzledtraveller Jul 2012 #87

That is just too damn crazy Whisp Jul 2012 #91

Oil and gas cos are spending billions in PA elehhhhna Jul 2012 #92

Uh; greiner3 Jul 2012 #93

We need to always fight to raise minimum wage. Cobalt Violet Jul 2012 #105