I am surprised to find out that you are married to the firefighter and not the firefighter.

Being awakened in the middle of the night...havoc with their systems. NOT a good debate argument. Actually none of the responses above are good debate responses for this situation. I also think that you must think we as Villagers can do anything about this issue. Are you really the wife of a RETIRED Fire Fighter or one who is now employed??? It FEELS to me that you have a dog in this fight.

I am not trying to embarrass you, just give you some tips on debate and presenting information in order to effectively sway the reader or listener.

Most of us who live here are very supportive of First Responders.

Oh, because I am not in your firefighter cheering club you don't feel my opinion should be heard...

I am sure you learned the real reason why you volunteered during the psychological testing. You could not just drive past a fire, so you might as well be going there for a purpose.

The teachers have a tough job, the grounds keepers have a tough job, the utilities workers have a tough job, the bartenders down at the square have a tough job...we want to attract the best at all those positions too, lets give them all 20% more salary in a year!!!!

That is a ridiculous amount to ask for in one year, and no it is not going to attract any better candidates - because the people they already have (the ones working for 33K a year) are not going to be fired to make room for better personnel.

This is not NY, this is not PA...the salaries are lower here and so is the costs to live here. Stop trying to ruin it by matching salaries they had up north, where cost of living was so high we retired here.

AMEN to that. We lost a few guys in our Volunteer Dept. We also had several Paid guys from FDNY who always offered help & advice in training. I remember after 9/11 how many paid guys who were also Vollies answered their last call. The Funerals were non stop. We trained hard and did the job that was needed. Some who don't know about the job should not post comments period. They deserve a raise in both Salary & Pension. Look at your tax bill the Fire Service tax is a joke.

My husband is a 21 year veteran who retired in 2003. I have no dog in this fight but am just upset that SOME people think it is OK to pay an EMT just barely more than a hamburger flipper.

Please thank him for his service and give him a hug. Perhaps you shouldn't run for office any time soon. ;)

No problem. I hate politics.

:ohdear: You're comparing the job of Firefighters to bartenders at the Squares?

:pray:Firefighter's Prayer
- Author Unknown

When I am called to duty, God,
wherever flames may rage,
give me strength to save a life,
whatever be its age.
Help me embrace a little child
before it is too late,
or save an older person from
the horror of that fate.
Enable me to be alert,
and hear the weakest shout,
quickly and efficiently
to put the fire out.
I want to fill my calling,
to give the best in me,
to guard my friend and neighbor,
and protect his property.
And if according to Your will
I must answer death's call,
bless with your protecting hand,
my family one and all.

Unless you've done the job (30 yrs. in Miami), you haven't got a clue.

AMEN Thank you for your service

In the old days, unlike the movies, in a fire you're blind as a bat and when you.re doing a search you have no idea where you are I just made it our before my Scott pak ran out. Thank God we got the new 4.5's

There are many things to be upset about in the world but what people, who you have never met, think is not one of them. What people get paid is complicated. There is a difference between the public and private sector. In the private sector, what you make is often controlled by how much revenue and profit you bring into the organization. In the public sector, there is no profit incentive so politics plays a bigger role.

For those of you who do not want a boy scout showing up for your medical emergency this is your opportunity to show up and support your first responders.

We need Mike Tucker
 

Bring back Mike Tucker, wherever he is.

We Villagers do not vote on issues like this. These contracts are negotiated by folks who are in charge of such things. Go talk to the people who have the power and please don't try to get sympathy by saying things like this. It is irritating and not going to get the job done.

Your not helping your cause with statements like that!
I think most of us are smart enough to realize more $$$
doesn't necessarily guarantee a better result.
In the state that I came from teachers are handsomely
paid, but the education of the students sucks!

The educational system is just a mess and I don't even want to go there. All I'm saying is that someone who is responsible for your life should make more than $15.00 an hour and though Villagers don't vote a show of support I'm sure would be much appreciated.

$33600 to start, are the new hires experienced, if not who trains them and bears
the cost of the training, plus equipment, health benefits, supplies such as food etc?
I believe there is a lot more involved than just the initial salary

Sorry. But I was lost with the opening statement. Not a good way to get me onboard.

"How much money do you waste on designer items or tickets to sporting events or even expensive cars but you refuse to pay a few more dollars to pay the first responders? The people who come day and night when you have a medical emergency or are in an accident, or set your house on fire or have to respond to a shooting or bombing. Really people?"

I've already been told I don't belong in politics. Just think it is very sad what they make for saving lives is considered by many as minimum wage.

Your thoughts and feelings are good. Best of luck.

I agree with everything you've said. Although there are a LOT of retired Firefighters and Law Enforcement Officers (2 in this family) here in TV, most people do not know what it's like to walk in the shoes of a Firefighters or Law Enforcement Officer; how a lot of these Public Servants have to work multiple jobs to make ends meet for their families. My wife and I are fortunate to have made some good investments over the years and are able to help out our son (a KCPD SWAT Team member) and his family from time to time. We are big proponents any time an increase in a tax to fund a raise for these underpaid people comes up for discussion.

That isn't an option in this instance. She has been told by many of us that we are supportive of an increase, but in a CDD form of government, it doesn't come to a vote. She isn't helping this cause, which she says no longer affects her directly, as she is the wife a retired Fireman. Talking about minimum wage to a group of people who have lived very carefully, for the most part, saved and sacrificed themselves, also worked long hours or two jobs,doesn't win sympathy. We may NOT have walked in the footsteps of first responders but we have lived long enough that we don't have to have a house fall on us to understand a situation. Many of us have uncles, brothers, sisters, and friends who are in Law Enforcement or EMS or Firefighters. We get it. We really do understand. There is no need to stir the pot and make us feel as if we are adversaries, when we are not.

Extremely well said.

:agree:

I don't think anyone has disagreed that firefighters or EMS deserves more money. The question is what is reasonable. I don't know, and no one has published what are comparative wages for firefighters and EMS personnel in central Florida. You can't compare the cost of living in Kansas City or New Jersey to that of central Florida. If an increase of 5% will put our firefighters or EMS at the top of the pay scale in this area then let's do it. However, without comparative numbers, this discussion is just all emotion.

Being a Marine I understand just about every post in the forum. I have never understood a few things. Why a service man can be sent to a foreign county, fight for something he may or may not believe in, get shot, a limb blown off or worse. Then come back to the good ole USA, and have to have charities raise money for their medical expenses. I. E Wounded Warriors and so on. NEVER HAVE UNDERSTOOD THAT, NEVER!!

Next would be why teachers make chicken feed except where you work, it may be Hen feed then. Unless you coach footbal, then you make a killing at the expense of the students tuition.

Then you have LEO-FIRE RESCUE. Why?? THese cats deserve what ever we can give them. You call them,, they are there!!! Like the post man. EXCEPT these cats really do show up in all types of weather extremes and conditions. I really do :BigApplause: all First Responders. Many of my friends are FHP and local law enforcement. And now my Daughter is attending the Fire Academy for Fire-EMT. Now I understand even more what they do. All I can say for my daughter and all that are First Responders is this Love Ya, and :BigApplause::bigbow::beer3:

AMEN!!!!!!!!:thumbup:

:agree:

Just to keep things in proper perspective. I am not sure why you think a roofer or a landscaper does not put their life on the line.

Here are the death data:
There are about 1.2 million firefighters in the US not including private and federal. There are about 70 deaths per year in that group and more than half are heart attacks or stress and this includes things like a 66 yo who died after 20 mins on a treadmill which is not clearly a job related death. A death rate including all 70 as job related gives 58 per million.

Roofers have a death rate of over 300 per million or more than six times that of firefighters, and 12 times if you don't include sudden death from heart disease.

So if risk of death is going to be brought up as a main criteria then roofers have a much better argument for a huge pay raise.

Landscapers? I don't have data for the workers but I do for the supervisors. Fatality rate of 181 per million on the job, or double that of firefighters.

Do I think our public servants are underpaid, yes. But the risk of firefighting is much lower than many other fields. And the risk in the Villages is certainly lower than in most other departments.

Just FYI here are the highest fatality risk occupations and deaths per million in 2015
Logging 1327
Fishing 548
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers 404
Roofers 397
Refuse collection 388 yes the "garbage man" is five times more likely to die doing the job than a firefighter
Iron and steel workers 298
Drivers 243
Farmers 220
Electrical install and repair 205
Supervisors of landscapers 181

Estimating this one
Police 145 [2016 data 145 death and estimated 1 million police]

and Firefighters 58

Even IMHO, more important than the $$ is the staffing--2 persons per engine and truck is a joke; how can you do an immediate search for a victim or victims without a charged line prior to making an entry..

4 persons should be the minimum/ 3 is a band aid--in most fires here the primary goal is not to save the structure but prevent it from extending to neighboring structures, the insurance industry most likely doesn't know the staffing of the apparatus inTV

Cut back on a Palm Tree here and there and give these people a better wage. They deserve it. When I got hit in my cart they were there to help in minutes and deserve our financial support. Give them what they need to do the job properly. Within reason.

To me it's about the lives they save. If I have any kind of emergency I don't want to rely on an understaffed dept of rookies.

Kind of funny and sad

I don't know but
 

I'm truly not arguing BUT you need to look at the total COMPENSATION PACKAGE. Retirement age, 401K, 403B, medical care.

Someone mentioned a comparison to NY. As an ex-New Yorker you may not be aware what the cost of living is.
It is far higher than here. A former friend was with JC Penny. They offered a 20% raise to anyone who had to move to NY metro area. Those that checked found out due to the higher cost of living their standard of living would fall. We paid a 6% state tax plus ???? 2% for a non resident NYC tax. To get to work was $150 a month to the LIRR. The real estate tax on our 1200 sq foot house on a 50x100 lot was $10,000.

If what I've been reading on this issue is accurate, there is something seriously wrong.

1. The Villages fire fighters are the lowest paid not just in the Tri-County area, but all of Central Florida.

2. The Villages has an exceedingly high turnover rate. It seems that many use TV for training and then move on to other fire departments for better pay and retirement benefits.

3. We are seriously understaffed.

4. Under the new negotiations/contract to date (arbitration to come), new hires will start at a higher rate of pay, old employees are not getting increases.

If these facts are correct, there is something seriously wrong. We deserve to have the best fire department possible-- not one staffed by people who leave as soon as they feel are fully trained. Our fire engines need to be fully staffed -- not just two individuals per truck. Our emergency response providers deserve to be paid at least as much as those in surrounding communities, if not more.

I really don't understand how TV can budget hundreds of thousands for landscapers but not budget fair wages for those hired to protect that property and the individuals who use that property, including those who reside here.

Thank you for posting the reality of giving into municipal unions. The old emotional cry that "they risk their lives to save others" just doesn't match up to reality. Why LI police are among the highest paid in the nation when they rarely work as hard as their NYPD colleagues is a testament to collusion between municipal unions and elected politicians.

Not denying that TV firemen deserve a decent salary but lets stop with the emotional saving my life argument.

If the truth is that the rookies come here, get trained and a level of experience and then leave to join other Companies at higher wages and improved benefits all the comparisons and previous arguments really don't matter. If you believe that is the truth and you are willing to have a less experienced force to respond to your emergency needs then the comparisons don't matter. When you are satisfied with the status quo then you accept the status quo as sufficient to meet you needs and the comparisons don't matter. Until of course, you need their services....then the comparisons might matter.