about 10 years ago

[down3green]

High on myself, do explain. I think like most others you may have read a little to much into any post I have made.

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Sure. I don't have any issues with public service in general, but the "laying my life on the line every day" mantra gets pretty old, whether it's actually stated or merely implied.
These are the people who ~really~ put their lives on the line every day, providing goods and services to a grateful nation. My profession's #3 on the list, but you'll won't constantly hear about it from us ... usually just the cops and firemen.



The following 10 occupations had the highest fatality rates:


1. Fishers and related fishing workers
Fatality rate*: 128.9

2. Logging workers
Fatality rate: 115.7

3. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers
Fatality rate: 72.4

4. Structural iron and steel workers
Fatality rate: 46.4

5. Farmers and ranchers
Fatality rate: 39.5

6. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
Fatality rate:: 36.8

7. Roofers
Fatality rate: 34.4

8. Electrical power line installers and repairers
Fatality rate: 29.8

9. Driver/sales workers and truck drivers
Fatality rate: 22.8

10. Taxi drivers and chauffeurs
Fatality rate: 19.3


Cops; not on the list.
Firemen; not on the list.


Hardworking men and women; on the list.

It seems you're safer at work than the fisher-man, the garbage-man, and the truck driver.

 

[IndyGunworks]

.

Sure. I don't have any issues with public service in general, but the "laying my life on the line every day" mantra gets pretty old, whether it's actually stated or merely implied.
These are the people who ~really~ put their lives on the line every day, providing goods and services to a grateful nation. My profession's #3 on the list, but you'll won't constantly hear about it from us ... usually just the cops and firemen.



The following 10 occupations had the highest fatality rates:


1. Fishers and related fishing workers
Fatality rate*: 128.9

2. Logging workers
Fatality rate: 115.7

3. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers
Fatality rate: 72.4

4. Structural iron and steel workers
Fatality rate: 46.4

5. Farmers and ranchers
Fatality rate: 39.5

6. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
Fatality rate:: 36.8

7. Roofers
Fatality rate: 34.4

8. Electrical power line installers and repairers
Fatality rate: 29.8

9. Driver/sales workers and truck drivers
Fatality rate: 22.8

10. Taxi drivers and chauffeurs
Fatality rate: 19.3


Cops; not on the list.
Firemen; not on the list.


Hardworking men and women; on the list.

It seems you're safer at work than the fisher-man, the garbage-man, and the truck driver.

i think what you are missing the point on, is if i give my life as a fireman, its trying to save someone else life. how many roofers give their life so another may live? or anyone else on that list for that matter.

 

[IncendiaryGunner]

i think what you are missing the point on, is if i give my life as a fireman, its trying to save someone else life. how many roofers give their life so another may live? or anyone else on that list for that matter.

So if a fireman dies during a call in an attempt to save another person's life, is this a noble sacrifice, or an attempt to gain a pension?

I do not mean to come off as disrespectful, on the contrary - I view those that head the call of public service as honorable. I just believe that they knew the inherent dangers going into it, and still chose that career. When everyone else ran away from the fire, they ran towards it. They knew the pay was bad, they knew the hours were long, and they chose to be that person. That is the definition of sacrifice, and sacrifices never pay well.

I believe public servants should be able to retire and live decent lives in their golden years. I just also believe that having others down the road pay for promises today is kind of taking a page from social security, and that we have learned through experience that programs that expect the burden to be carried by later generations tend to spell disaster.

 

[IndyGunworks]

So if a fireman dies during a call in an attempt to save another person's life, is this a noble sacrifice, or an attempt to gain a pension?

I do not mean to come off as disrespectful, on the contrary - I view those that head the call of public service as honorable. I just believe that they knew the inherent dangers going into it, and still chose that career. When everyone else ran away from the fire, they ran towards it. They knew the pay was bad, they knew the hours were long, and they chose to be that person. That is the definition of sacrifice, and sacrifices never pay well.

I believe public servants should be able to retire and live decent lives in their golden years. I just also believe that having others down the road pay for promises today is kind of taking a page from social security, and that we have learned through experience that programs that expect the burden to be carried by later generations tend to spell disaster.

i assure you i will never sacrifice myself in an attempt to gain a pension.

on a second note though, i agree that its not up to future generations to pay for my retirement, but the system is what it is and works. For now. if it changes i will not be the one complaining, as i am preparing myself for retirement privatly.

 

[bft131]

Was really trying to stay out of this but sorry...here I go...

As a 23 year FF/EMT both volunteer and now career, I assure you it has never been my mantra to go around bragging that " put my life on the line everyday"..Thats BS..I know a lot of guys that dont throw ego or wear FD tee's everywhere or ask for "professional courtesy" when pulled over. Most of us just want to go home to our families or to our 2nd job whatever that may be. I work with a pilot, electrician, construction trades, a cage fighter, a farmer, beautician, and a pizza shop owner...None of these guys go around bragging about being a firefighter, most of us have a "quiet pride" in our jobs and what we do.

I have never pulled a person out of a burning building, or delivered a baby (other then my own". But have seen and done many other things both tragic and humbling.

I do pay my pension and try to save to send my kids to college in hope that they do better then their father and mother in their lives. I sure as hell am looking forward to the day that I can retire from working 24 hour shifts and do other things or not in my life, that is MY choice. Do I say that I am owed a pension, hell no, but I am blessed to have one and am thankful for it. Most of the stuff that I have been exposed to in my life (Yep, I know, I chose my career, you dont have to remind me..) would make a billy goat puke...I have tried to stay in shape, eat right, dont smoke or drink heavily (Boy, I wish summer would get here, I do have a hankering for a "Summer Shandy" though...) and I plan on staying around for a while longer..but God only knows..

As far as people I look up to, thats easy...My cousins husband flew Chinooks in Iraq. He was behind two others that got shot down on Palm or Easter Sunday about 7 years ago...a brave man that finished his tour and came home to his family, with a pension after 20 years of flying....

So end the end..get off our backs be it FF's or LEO's..Do you want me to dig up my truck driver dad so you can yell at him because he had a pension or my grandfather that worked at Keystone Steel and Wire because he had a pension ??? And please, as a pilot, you dont have a retirement of some kind ?? Most jobs do have some kind of benifit package of some kind, so quit throwing rocks.....

 

[Arthur Dent]

It gets kind of old hearing that LEOs put their lives on the line everyday. It is very rare that they put their lives on the line. Most of the time they are riding around in a car, or pushing paper. The one's who truly put their lives on the line are the troops in the military. The LEOs usually show up to do the paperwork after things have already occurred. The troops are actually there participating in it. This repeated declaration that their lives are being put on the line daily is totally false!!! Sure there is a slight possibility of them losing their life but it is even less than the common man losing his life in an auto accident!!! In fact a lot of them have been losing their life or causing others to lose theirs in recent happenings. The possibility of them being in a life threatening situation is very small and it is made in to a major issue by the unions representing them. Most of them go through their career and never draw their weapon.

I'm not going to say your opinion is wrong. But LEOs are in harm's way a bit more than you think. You only hear about it when things go wrong, rarely when it goes right.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Was really trying to stay out of this but sorry...here I go...

As a 23 year FF/EMT both volunteer and now career, I assure you it has never been my mantra to go around bragging that " put my life on the line everyday"..Thats BS..I know a lot of guys that dont throw ego or wear FD tee's everywhere or ask for "professional courtesy" when pulled over. Most of us just want to go home to our families or to our 2nd job whatever that may be. I work with a pilot, electrician, construction trades, a cage fighter, a farmer, beautician, and a pizza shop owner...None of these guys go around bragging about being a firefighter, most of us have a "quiet pride" in our jobs and what we do.

I have never pulled a person out of a burning building, or delivered a baby (other then my own". But have seen and done many other things both tragic and humbling.

I do pay my pension and try to save to send my kids to college in hope that they do better then their father and mother in their lives. I sure as hell am looking forward to the day that I can retire from working 24 hour shifts and do other things or not in my life, that is MY choice. Do I say that I am owed a pension, hell no, but I am blessed to have one and am thankful for it. Most of the stuff that I have been exposed to in my life (Yep, I know, I chose my career, you dont have to remind me..) would make a billy goat puke...I have tried to stay in shape, eat right, dont smoke or drink heavily (Boy, I wish summer would get here, I do have a hankering for a "Summer Shandy" though...) and I plan on staying around for a while longer..but God only knows..

As far as people I look up to, thats easy...My cousins husband flew Chinooks in Iraq. He was behind two others that got shot down on Palm or Easter Sunday about 7 years ago...a brave man that finished his tour and came home to his family, with a pension after 20 years of flying....

So end the end..get off our backs be it FF's or LEO's..Do you want me to dig up my truck driver dad so you can yell at him because he had a pension or my grandfather that worked at Keystone Steel and Wire because he had a pension ??? And please, as a pilot, you dont have a retirement of some kind ?? Most jobs do have some kind of benifit package of some kind, so quit throwing rocks.....

What "cage fighter" do you work with? The pc term is mixed martial artist. Are you guys on perf 77? Once you go from amateur to pro its considered secondary employment. Is your go worker a pro or ammy?

 

[bft131]

Amatuer...he fought semi-pro prior to his hiring, he hasnt fought in a couple of years but I still wouldn't tangle with him...a good hard working dad.....

 

[ThrottleJockey]

i think what you are missing the point on, is if i give my life as a fireman, its trying to save someone else life. how many roofers give their life so another may live? or anyone else on that list for that matter.

Every time a truck driver swerves and jacknifes over the edge of a cliff to keep from running over some stupid f#$%er in a car that never should have had a license to begin with, he died so you could eat, have clothing, toilet paper and literally EVERYTHING you own including medical equipment/supplies, safety gear for the firemen/LEOs, the stuff your house is built from, ammo/guns, etc.....I think the problem is a self centered attitude and blinders as to what the real people in this world need, have, and do for one another. I'm not faulting public servants for this attitude, it's your unions that have brainwashed you.

 

[public servant]

Every time a truck driver swerves and jacknifes over the edge of a cliff to keep from running over some stupid f#$%er in a car that never should have had a license to begin with, he died so you could eat, have clothing, toilet paper and literally EVERYTHING you own including medical equipment/supplies, safety gear for the firemen/LEOs, the stuff your house is built from, ammo/guns, etc.....I think the problem is a self centered attitude and blinders as to what the real people in this world need, have, and do for one another. I'm not faulting public servants for this attitude, it's your unions that have brainwashed you.

Yep...I'd say that's the problem alright.

Can I ask...do you belong to a union?

Do you have a retirement package?

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Yep...I'd say that's the problem alright.

Can I ask...do you belong to a union?

Do you have a retirement package?

Not if my very life depended on it. Yes, I save for my retirement from my own earnings and make due with what is left over for our daily budget. We live within our means and have NO debt, not even a mortgage. Cash is king and we don't buy new cars to show off with or try to keep up with the smiths and jonses. We are not that stupid. I do not care what others think of me when they see my car or when they learn that I cut my own hair. Other people and their opinions mean nothing to me.

 

[public servant]

Not if my very life depended on it. Yes, I save for my retirement from my own earnings and make due with what is left over for our daily budget. We live within our means and have NO debt, not even a mortgage. Cash is king and we don't buy new cars to show off with or try to keep up with the smiths and jonses. We are not that stupid. I do not care what others think of me when they see my car or when they learn that I cut my own hair. Other people and their opinions mean nothing to me.

Thanks for the reply.

I'd just like to mention...you're a truck driver...you have a dangerous job. Sometimes because of fault by others...sometimes not. After over a dozen years in the fire service in an area that covered a large stretch of a busy interstate...I've seen my share of accidents caused by 4 wheelers and 18 wheelers. No one is infallible. But just like you told others in this thread...you chose that line of work. Good luck with it and be safe.

Others may be LEO's or firemen...no one here is a god. We're all just people...who do different jobs.

I'm sure your opinion of them means little as well.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Thanks for the reply.

I'd just like to mention...you're a truck driver...you have a dangerous job. Sometimes because of fault by others...sometimes not. After over a dozen years in the fire service in an area that covered a large stretch of a busy interstate...I've seen my share of accidents caused by 4 wheelers and 18 wheelers. No one is infallible. But just like you told others in this thread...you chose that line of work. Good luck with it and be safe.

Others may be LEO's or firemen...no one here is a god. We're all just people...who do different jobs.

I'm sure your opinion of them means little as well.

Thank you, and EXACTLY. EVERYONE sees what they themselves contribute and get so hung up on it that they don't bother to consider what others contribute. That was my point.


ETA, My remark about others opinions wasn't meant to be inflammatory. It was contextually meant as their opinions of ME based on things like my car, clothes, etc.....BTW, MOST of my clothes come from goodwill, that place rocks!

 

[public servant]

Thank you, and EXACTLY. EVERYONE sees what they themselves contribute and get so hung up on it that they don't bother to consider what others contribute. That was my point.

We all play a small role in the big picture. No argument from me.