Are they “heroes”?
People are taught – pressured – to regard them as such. It has become an almost religious fetish – very much like cop worship. But the image and the reality are two very different things – in both cases.
Like cops, firemen rely on force. And when someone can legally use force to get their way, they tend to become arrogant, entitled and increasingly contemptuous of those whom they “serve.”
Does this sound, er . . . familiar?
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27 comments:
Only in a rural area can you fully appreciate the role of the volunteer fireman and women. Living in both urban and rural areas as my life has progressed I now understand the fireman. They devote hours and hours of their time, and yes is is partly the "code" they seek, but when the fit hits the shan they are risking themselves to help others. I am not a fireman, have never been, but I thank them for what they do.
Sure does sound like it to me , does that also include the media?
I think so , not all media , but the protected ones with the likes of Al Sharpton etc..
The media made these guys heroes!!
What a bunch of bs in that post. Yes some people in the fire department and law enforcement may have larger egos. Most people couldn't handle either job... They would curl up in the fetal position crying for mommy including the poster. Just remember the cop or fireman you so easily talk about May Day be the only one there to save your life. They are both heroes at times.....the poster is some cry baby who wishes he had the stones to be a hero.....
Heroes are individuals who accomplish heroic acts. Going to work every day and doing your regular job isn't a heroic act, and to think that it is is a slap in the face of people who risked it all to perform heroic deeds, they who showed great courage in the face of overwhelming adversity.
Misuse the word enough and it will eventually refer only to an oversized sandwich.
That video makes me sick. Those firemen should have been ashamed of themselves for not making a heroic attempt to save the little boy themselves.
Firemen, both paid and volunteer, deep in some of their warped little minds like to think of themselves being heroes. They buy the t-shirts, toys and other crap that says "Hero" on it. They are in love with themselves and many of them only wear the uniforms or bunker gear to make them feel good. Then there are the ones that wear the bunker gear and let their helmets and gear get burnt up in training because that makes them look like they really fought some structure fires. Then there are the ones with burnt gear from fires because they did some stupid and dangerous shit that could have been avoided. These are the ones that want to get taken to the hospital in an ambulance or die in the fire because that is their opportunity to become "real" heroes. They are looking for their 15 minutes of fame, but are to stupid to understand that those 15 minutes are very short. The also get 343 tattooed on their bodies for the real heroes of FDNY during 9/11. They also have their trucks plastered with stickers about 9/11. The same ones drool over another LODD so they can shed a tear thinking what it would be like if it was them. Yes this really does happen. The interesting ones are the ones that get taken to the hospital by ambulance and then they come back to the scene and want to play some more. WTH did they go to the hospital for? Yes this really does happen in Salisbury and some of them are still around today. They are legends in their own minds and they are dangerous.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
What a bunch of bs in that post. Yes some people in the fire department and law enforcement may have larger egos. Most people couldn't handle either job... They would curl up in the fetal position crying for mommy including the poster. Just remember the cop or fireman you so easily talk about May Day be the only one there to save your life. They are both heroes at times.....the poster is some cry baby who wishes he had the stones to be a hero.....
March 21, 2014 at 6:40 AM
Speaking of BS.....
First responders can very well become heroes if in fact they act in a heroic manner to save someone's life or pet. However, so does the average Joe, given the opportunity any man, woman or child can do heroic things. A hero puts the lives of others above their own welfare, some times without even thinking, it comes down to a natural instinct.
8:00, Well Put
well if it aint Marky mark and the commy bunch again.
I am a firefighter/ paramedic for the city, and I have saved lives. No I do not consider myself a hero. I do it for the love if the job. It really is the greatest job. I get the chance to help those in need of help. Whether on the ambulance or on the engine, I get to make a difference in people's lives. I only wish more people in this city understood how we have to operate instead of always putting us down.
If putting your butt on the line makes you a hero then the military has all of them beat! They are dealing with being shot at or blown up on a daily basis. There is NO comparison between the jobs. Get paid peanuts and sent off to a foreign country where you can't distinguish between the friendly locals and the ones that want you dead.
Think about that next time your wearing your super hero cape!
11:33 AM thank you for what you do. What you don't understand is there is no need for 60 paid firemen. The need is for Paramedics on the ambulances and not staffing fire engines.
Salisbury just lost 2 paramedics again this week, but they continue to hire firemen. They are a dime a dozen. Bad move.
Recruit and retain volunteers and let the EMS staff run independently of the Fire Department.
They are definitely heroes! I have complete respect for firefighters and law enforcement. Where would we be without them?! Sure there could be a bad apple in the bunch, that may tarnish the whole group....but responsible, intelligent, civic minded people admire those who put their lives on the line to save others. Intelligent people put first responders on pedestals, ignorant people put professional sports players on pedestals .
what force does the fire dept use? if you mean the force they have to use to get into your building to put a fire out, then so be it. if you dont like that, just dont call them until the whole structures too far gone to save. maybe seeing your building in ashes on the ground will make you feel better. plus side would also be these ghetto dwellings in salisbury,and several of them that need to be burned to the ground!
Where would we be without them?! Sure there could be a bad apple in the bunch, that may tarnish the whole group....but responsible, intelligent, civic minded people admire those who put their lives on the line to save others. Intelligent people put first responders on pedestals, ignorant people put professional sports players on pedestals .
March 21, 2014 at 12:49 PM
OH I think the sun will still come up if we don't have them.
There is no COULD be, there are many bad apples, most of the barrel is bad. When the supposedly 'good' apples start standing up to the bad ones, THEN I will believe there are some good ones.
1:59. ... Why don't you put your negative feelings for fire fighters on a large sign on your front lawn. That way, if your house catches on fire you won't be bothered by those pesky first responders. You house will burn down, but like you said, the sun will still come up.
3:21 PM
That would be just fine with me, Mr. Godlike sir.
That's what I have insurance for.
Why don't you and your buddies go out and start a fire so you will have something to do, beside trying to tell people you are important heroes?
OR, just do your job and go home. Sorry, we can't have a parade every time you put your cape on.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
1:59. ... Why don't you put your negative feelings for fire fighters on a large sign on your front lawn. That way, if your house catches on fire you won't be bothered by those pesky first responders. You house will burn down, but like you said, the sun will still come up.
March 21, 2014 at 3:21 PM
Might as well, that's what happens if you guys are there or not.
Crimeiariver, we can use that to put out any fires. Loser
A good percentage of first responders are veterans. I am a firefighter/paramedic in Wicomico county and I am a Veteran. No I don't believe I am any kind if hero, but I do have the guts to do what most don't.
Oh by the way I got paid more as an E-4 & E-5 in the military than I currently do as a firefighter/paramedic.
In part I agree with you. I am a firefighter/paramedic (not for Salisbury). I do not believe that Salisbury needs to staff three fire trucks Mon-Fri, two of which being 24hrs. They do run the crap out of their ambulances. They only have 3 staffed ambulances, they have 2 more than can be used when one of the three are already on calls. They need a minimum of 4-5 staffed ambulances, as well as atleast one 24hr fire truck and one Mon-Fri 8-4 fire truck.
What some need to realize is that all of those paid "firemen" are rotated from the fire truck to the ambulance. They are all either firefighter/EMT's or firefighter/paramedics. There is not one single responder employed at the Salisbury Fire Dept that is not dual certified in both fire and EMS.
Why do you have such hatred toward first responders. They have chosen to perform a job that get no respects, low pay, yet has high education and training requirements. I am a firefighter/paramedic. I have over 3,000 hours of emergency medical instruction and field clinical hours as well as over 500 hours of firefighter/rescue/hazmat training. Not including prerequisite courses. If you add the hours together I have enough instruction and clinical hours to have earned a bachelors degree. With all of this I still make less than $40k per year at my full-time job. I have to work an additional part-time job (total of 60-72hrs/wk) just to make earn a decent living.
Obviously we do the job because we enjoy helping people and not because we expect to get rich.
Remember this the next time you or a loved one needs our help. We are not tax money abusers, we are highly trained, over worked, and underpaid individuals who chose a career in serving/helping others in their greatest times if need.
None, who are you directing your question to?
Joe I'd assume you are talking about me. It was a reply written to 12:49's reply. He seems to have such a hatred for first responders in general. To be honest Joe my impression of you is that you have a strong dislike for first responders as well.
No 4:05, he can display his dislike for first responders on a sign in his front yard all he wants. Then if/when he has to call 911 (not that I wish any harm) we will still show up to help him and his family to the absolute best of our abilities because that's our job.
None, 5:09, Nope, not at all. I have a problem with the Leadership and many ridiculous decisions they make but I have the fullest respect for the BOOTS ON THE GROUND First Responders.
I also have a particular problem with some Paid Firefighters in Salisbury Only who discourage VOLUNTEERS. I feel they are only interested in their own Job Security and not what is best for the community.
You know I have a problem with million dollar fire trucks picking up lunch, dinner and groceries.
Joe I understand your view. I don't agree with it completely though. One thing: the only "firetruck" the city has that cost a million dollars is the tower, and if you were to talk to 90% of the SFD volunteers & paid responders they would say that there is absolutely no reason for Salisbury to have it. All the other fire trucks are much closer to 1/2 million.
As a firefighter/paramedic who works 24hr shifts I know how challenging it can be to bring your breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and drinks with you to work. Not that I'm saying it's okay to take the fire truck out to lunch every day but why is it such a big deal if a couple times a week they stop out and get lunch. How many other 9-5'ers do that.
Now you are going to say, "why do they have to take a 1/2 million dollar fire truck out that gets 7mpg to get lunch". The answer to this is because the crew CAN NOT split up. They can not send one guy out to go get lunch. It has to do with NFPA minimum staffing. Each and every person staffing that truck has a very specific job that they are assigned to if they respond to a fire or rescue. They are not permitted to break the staffing requirements of that truck.
Now about the paid vs volunteer: I have been a volunteer member if the SFD so I have some inside experience. Yes there are some paid staff that dislike the volunteers BUT there are also just as many volunteer members who dislike the paid staff. It really is a "tit for tat". However 80-90% of all paid and volunteer members get along just fine with one another.
I know that you and some of your followers think that the SFD should become all volunteer and EMS be separated. I have mentioned before that in order for this to happen The SFD would have to have 5x the amount of volunteers they currently have (120). This is based on the ratio of calls to volunteers throughout the rest of the fire departments in the county.
The only true hero in this whole country in Mike Lewis, just ask him!
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