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I find it ironic you're criticizing the pay of a man who leads the people who would happily save you from your burning properties if they were on fire.

by tdicola 11y ago

ZanyProgrammer 11y ago
Would they still be happy putting fires out if they were paid a little less? What is the optimal pay for public safety employees?
tptacek 11y ago
How is that at all ironic?
hueving 11y ago
Appeal to emotion isn't a justification for such a lavish retirement income.
callmeed 11y ago
How is it ironic? How many people were saved from burning buildings in your city last year? The truth is, technology and building codes in the US–and especially California–have significantly reduced the loss of life and property due to fires. That's a great thing. Unfortunately, fire department budgets have increased at the same time. Partly due to pensions, partly due to the fact that cutting a fire budget is political suicide. Have you noticed how 30-foot, $1 million+ fire engines show up to minor traffic accidents and first aid calls? There's a reason (they need to look busy). Fun fact: 8% of calls to fire departments are false alarms and 64% are for non-fire medical support.
- rsync 11y ago
  "Have you noticed how 30-foot, $1 million+ fire engines show up to minor traffic accidents and first aid calls? There's a reason (they need to look busy)." (Disclaimer: I am a volunteer firefighter in California) They do that because they can't be caught without the engine if they get an actual fire call. They would leave directly from the accident/medical/CatInTree in the engine and go directly to the fire. That's why you see them drive to the grocery store in the fire truck. You can't wait for them to go back to the firehouse to get the engine ...
dantheman 11y ago
Would you criticize his pay if it was 1 million, or 100 million. His job is the same.
encyclic 11y ago
It's also a job far far overcompensated if you are saying job risk is what should determine pay. By your reckoning, soliders and construction workers should be the ones with the highest compensation. See http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-dangerous-jobs/ http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-dangerous-jobs/ Lifetime cost of living increases, raises and medical coverage for you and your family for life, and that on top of any additional public safety job pension you get makes it really sad that police and fire who are supposed to be protecting and improving society are instead bankrupting it and making it worse by preventing funds from being used for much needed infrastructure improvements.
Ensorceled 11y ago
Using that logic we should be paying him a billion dollars a year, my family's lives are worth it!

I find it ironic you're criticizing the pay of a man who leads the people who would happily save you from your burning properties if they were on fire.

by tdicola 11y ago

I find it ironic you're criticizing the pay of a man who leads the people who would happily save you from your burning properties if they were on fire.

ZanyProgrammer 11y ago

Would they still be happy putting fires out if they were paid a little less? What is the optimal pay for public safety employees?

tptacek 11y ago

How is that at all ironic?

hueving 11y ago

Appeal to emotion isn't a justification for such a lavish retirement income.

callmeed 11y ago

How is it ironic? How many people were saved from burning buildings in your city last year? The truth is, technology and building codes in the US–and especially California–have significantly reduced the loss of life and property due to fires. That's a great thing. Unfortunately, fire department budgets have increased at the same time. Partly due to pensions, partly due to the fact that cutting a fire budget is political suicide. Have you noticed how 30-foot, $1 million+ fire engines show up to minor traffic accidents and first aid calls? There's a reason (they need to look busy). Fun fact: 8% of calls to fire departments are false alarms and 64% are for non-fire medical support.

rsync 11y ago
"Have you noticed how 30-foot, $1 million+ fire engines show up to minor traffic accidents and first aid calls? There's a reason (they need to look busy)." (Disclaimer: I am a volunteer firefighter in California) They do that because they can't be caught without the engine if they get an actual fire call. They would leave directly from the accident/medical/CatInTree in the engine and go directly to the fire. That's why you see them drive to the grocery store in the fire truck. You can't wait for them to go back to the firehouse to get the engine ...

dantheman 11y ago

Would you criticize his pay if it was 1 million, or 100 million. His job is the same.

encyclic 11y ago

It's also a job far far overcompensated if you are saying job risk is what should determine pay. By your reckoning, soliders and construction workers should be the ones with the highest compensation. See http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-dangerous-jobs/ http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-dangerous-jobs/ Lifetime cost of living increases, raises and medical coverage for you and your family for life, and that on top of any additional public safety job pension you get makes it really sad that police and fire who are supposed to be protecting and improving society are instead bankrupting it and making it worse by preventing funds from being used for much needed infrastructure improvements.

Ensorceled 11y ago

Using that logic we should be paying him a billion dollars a year, my family's lives are worth it!