FireLink

WoW! That's a touchy subject. They both risk life and limb in their jobs. I don't think I could choose one, but I could suggest just give the raise to the volunteers both LEO and Fire.

I agree with you 100% Chief!

Chief_Fontenot says ...

WoW! That's a touchy subject. They both risk life and limb in their jobs. I don't think I could choose one, but I could suggest just give the raise to the volunteers both LEO and Fire.

Cops pretty much know they're going to put in eight hrs.,then go home. In the fire service a shift is "normally " 24 hrs.Besides when was the last time you seen a cop go from "0 to 100"  physically at 2a.m. ?

Being married to a LEO, I know he already is not paid as much or has the benefits that paid FF have between VA and WV.

Fires are indiscriminate, but they don't follow you home or threaten your family after you put them out. And although fires are unpredictable, they don't have feelings or get high in the traditional sense. LEOs are risking their lives everyday similar to FF, but the people LEOs put away (or their family) sometimes want vengence. My hubby and I have been threatened, and he has had 2 attempts on his life while off duty (no it wasn't me!).

So to be fair, I have to say that LEOs should get paid a squeak more than FF.

PS: Outlaw, LEOs don't typically work 8 hours and go home....they're usually on for 12 hours, rotating shifts with 4 or more sleep changes each month. Mandatory OT for court and training take away from those 3 days off. And your zero to 100 at 2 am? Who do you think is chasing the idiot on the Ducati or the drunk in the pickup at 2 and 3 am after the biggest action you've seen all night is missing a herd of deer in the middle of the road? The reason why people just LOVE FF over LEOs is because it's easy to see how FF protect life and limb and property. LEOs are seen as evil authority who take you away from what you love (even if you were the one to screw up and earned a trip to jail). LEOs also protect life, limb and property, it's just taken for granted.

Now Chris, you know that's going to depend on location.

On job postings I've researched lately (and I have seen many because I'm helping my hubby apply elsewhere). The starting salary for a Police Officer is between 30k to 33k then add a couple grand for every 5 years experience. For a firefigher, according to salary.com it's about $40k, but I'm not sure that's accurate...it's probably closer to 33-35k around WV/VA. Most estimates are showing police and fire salaries as being pretty close, which is as it should be.

Well both jobs have their dangers. Some poeple think that cop have a more dangerous job and others think that firefighting is also a dangerous job. I don't know who to pick. But the goverment and the people needs both the Fire Dept and the Police Dept.  I think that they oth should be paid good. Through there are more voulenteer fire dept. There are none volunteer police depts. I think that firefighters deseve it. I mean anyone can be a cop. But it take certain people to a firefighter. A person who has the heart and would be able to work under presssure. So I think firefighters should be paid more.

I have been stewing over this for awhile .  I've been to busy to be on much but I'm off today so here goes .   Maybe police officers should knock a criminal over the left field wall .  Maybe a firefighter , EMT or nurse should make a basket before each  call and teachers run for a field goal before school each day, then maybe they could all get paid what they are really worth .  It bugs me that just because someone has some entertaining talent they can make millions of dollars a year .  The the ones that really dedicate there lives including putting it at risk for the benefit of there fellow man make sometimes no more than 8 dollars an hour .

Well I am both a Police Officer and a fire fighter and I personally believe that the LEo's should be paid more. There is a 50% chance that everyone we meet now a days most likely has a gun or isn't interested if we get to go home to our families at the end of the day. On the firefighter service we can usually get out of dangerous situations if we need to, just back off and wait till the time is right to get the job done.

equal rate for the basics. a probie gets 35k in FD then a rookie gets 35k on the PD. pay increase with time and training. easy as that. here if you are a Probie on FD you get 32k and if you get your Paramedic cert you geta pay raise to 38k.  likewise police should get paid for training like SWAT, DEA, High risk area patrol, and so forth. but you also have to consider are we talking Investagator type officers or street beat cops vs. just the everyday FF or are we also including Fire marshall's office and stuff. i think for the basic freshmeat academy greenhorn equal pay.

I am a Vol. Firefighter/First responder.-- We have 17 people on our Dept.---Of which about 6 do everything and the others show up once in a while for training.

--We make nothing.---We have to maintain our own (use by several Deportments before we got it donated to us ) equipment.We have almost no support from our distinct---We spend our own money or what we can beg from boot drives and such

----But we do the best we can with what we have.--We have saved many lives and lots of property which makes it all worth while.

It would be nice to get paid--anything-----

Mud

Both jobs are NOT equally dangerous.  When a cop goes out on a call, MAYBE he will come into danger.  MAYBE he will get shot at or get into a fight.  MAYBE he will get into a chase and wreck his car.  But EVERY time a firefighter goes on a call there is ALWAYS the chance of injury or death.

Does thism mean that the highschool dropout that works at McDonalds should make as much as a firefighter or a police officer?

No... it does not and that was not the Poll Question being posed.

 I respect what your saying Wildfire0809 but if all could make fair pay for what they do then this would not be an issue.   In a perfect world as was brought out, a person working at a fast food place would be able to support his family off of his/her pay.  As it is right now , not likely.   I work as a volunteer so I make nothing , in fact it cost me out of pocket each month in gas and lost paid work time.   I am willing to make the sacrifice because I care for people and if I can save lives and property then I'm happy.  It's still a challenge do do what I love in these economic conditions.  Firefighters train hard and work hard in dangerous circumstance , thats true and my L.E.O friends train hard and work hard in dangerous situations as well.  Now depending where you are, the work, danger and training varies some in both cases.   Some Firefighters and L.E.O's make excellent pay and benefits but most in either case do not.  I have worked in both and know the danger, work and training involved in both.   To me in both cases neither make near enough.  I could go get on a paid department right now and the pay would be fair but not great .   I am not willing to spend days away from my family for any amount of money. Many are now short staffed and under equipped.There are some departments that work so hard and they deserve way more than they get. Wild land firefighters pay is the worst ever for what they do in my opinion.   I was offered the chance to work as  a police officer in a big city starting pay 47,000 a year starting with benefits. I was temped but did not take it.  Why ?  Because as a firefighter I can train and study and effectively help people even in dangerous situations with a measure of safety and I enjoy it.   I am willing to do all of that even at my expense. There are some departments that work so hard and they deserve way more than they get. As a firefighter I'm still viewed as a rescuer and received  as that by the public. Getting shot at is not generally a concern nor my family being a target of the criminal element as a result of being a firefighter.  When I was doing L.E.O type work that was always an issue because I was viewed as a law enforcer and so I would never be willing to do that for pay or free. I am willing to work hard and put myself in danger but not my family for any amount of pay.

What can I say....women just like sleeping with firefighters I guess.  I reckon suspenders are sexier than holsters.  I will say we had a fire a few weeks ago that was fully involved and after 15 minutes we found out the adjacent building was full of TNT.  Illegal ofcorse and our trucks were less than 150 feet of the place.  It is and always will be true that both jobs are dangerous.  But I stand by the fact that a firefighters job is constantly dangerous.  Everytime we go out we know that we are going to go to a place that everyone else is trying to get away from.