JoeBaD,
I'm a civil service firefighter I/II - EMTb and know you're making harsh generalizations. I'll admit that some departments may be as you describe, but there are many that are far better. I'd like to think of my department as one of those. Now, to answer your questions above honestly. We have 0 FFs currently on disability. We had two long term (more than two weeks) disabilities in the past year - one guy had a fractured pelvis and the other a serious staph infection in his neck. And incidentally, the one with the fractured pelvis worked light duty dispatching after only two months leave and the other man gave up vacation time instead of extended sick leave. I get 10 sick days a year (only five without just cause/doctor's notes or get docked full pay) but a sick day is one shift and we work two in a day (24 hour work days), so I really only get 5 (or 2 1/2 w/o notes) days a year. I personally have yet to use a day... We can accumulate 125 sick days, but again this really works out to only 62 full days. So it would take me 12 years without using a sick day to reach my max and I feel I need the accumulation to cover me should I get hurt outside of work. It's true we have excellent disability coverage but it only covers us on the job.
We respond to an average of 2800 calls per year. True that a good percentage is false alarms, but why doesn't that count? We still have that sudden adrenaline rush, gear up in turn out gear and scotts, fight traffic to the scene, and investigate the cause. How many alarms do we have to respond to to receive your approval. Our fire prevention officer strives to reduce the number of calls we go on. Furthermore, do you think we sit around all day waiting for bells or phone calls - I don't think so. On a daily basis we have business annual inspections, smoke detector inspections, quarterly school/housing inspections, apparatus inspection and maintenance, hose testing, daily chores, reports, fitness programs, and training - lots and lots of training. We train in firefighting techniques, search and rescue, forcible entry, building collapse, firefighter safety, high angle rescue, technical rescue, ice and water rescue, hurst tool (jaws of life), first responder, EMT and Paramedic training, hazardous materials, and many many other aspects of our job. Most of this training is hands on - not just sitting in recliners watching videos... I know you have your doubts, but my days are very busy. Yes, I do get to sleep at night - sometimes. On average we have 2 or 3 calls a night (after 9 p.m.) Do you know what it's like to try to sleep listening to radios and mutual aid bells and going out for 30 min calls a couple times a night (hardly sleeping between them)? And then the next night have a 3 alarm fire on only two hours sleep? It takes days to recoup...
Overtime? What's overtime? I, and most of the department, get 3 or 4 shifts overtime per year. Oh, and I have second job as your mentioned in your first post, but not because I have so much free time but because I can't make ends meet with my FF salary. Can you pay a mortgage, car payment, insurance, save for college/weddings, and feed two kids and a wife on $40k. I can't. And I by no means live a rich lifestyle. I work a second job to better the way of life for my family not because I "have so much free time on my hands". I'm not saying that I'm underpaid - I'm not, but I don't make enough as a FF to support my family. Incidentally, do you have any idea how hard it is to become a firefighter (assuming you have no political strings to pull)? I had perfect scores on my civil service exams (written and physical), I put myself through college at night to earn an A.S. degree in Fire Science (with a 4.0 GPA (I also have a B.S. in Architectural Engineering)), I have a perfect driving record, have never been arrested, have never done any drugs or smoked, I'm in excellent physical condition, became an EMT on my own, and it took me seven years to get on a local community department. Seven years. Maybe in upstate NY it's not that hard to get on, but in many places it is.
Having said all that, I have to agree with emonkey and others. There really is no reason to visit the stations tomorrow bringing token gifts and shaking hands. To show your support just say hi or wave when you see a firefighter/policeman/EMS person out on the streets.
BTW, emonkey, LOL about the hot chick comment...