I don't believe this @#$%

[comwhite]

Don't you find it really funny that of all the threads on this forum, and all the interesting posts here, that those on the death of Dale Earnhardt have generated the most first time posters?

See what I meant, Scott? If this forum can generate that kind of emotion, think what's happening out there. You can bet, that not only will congress feed on it, but every retail outlet around will use it to their benefit. Think on the lines of what it's done for this forum, and then multiply that interest a million times. And, Earnhardt didn't do that, we and the media did that.

[Engine69]

Think of this, GM Goodwrench, UPS, Miller Brewing or some other corporation pumped millions of dollars into promoting ONE firefighter for advertisement. They paraded this firefighter around the country 36 weeks a year, filling 150,000 seats at each appearance with countless television viewers. Then on the off weeks, this firefighter appears on countless television spots. Now, this firefighter dies in the line of duty. Of course there would be great public mourning and the US Congress would certainly respond to the requests of their constituents to recognize this "hero."

Unfortunately, firefighters don't do well selling cars, shipping services and beer... we buy that stuff. We live in a commercial society where corporations recognize that if they can associate themselves with an "image", countless people will by that product for no other reason than that they saw it on the side of a race car, or on a t-shirt someone was wearing.

Because of that, Dale Earnhardt was known across the country. Every week, he was brought into many homes and viewed by millions on television and seen by thousands in person. There is not a single firefighter that could ever dream of such recognition. That is just the cold, hard facts. Does it make it right? Probably not. But that is the price we pay for living in a country with our econimics.



[This message has been edited by Engine69 (edited 02-28-2001).]

[FowlPlayCA]

I think some cultural differences come into play here, as well. Many of us from the South consider Earnhardt to be a hero. "A down-home kind of guy who had done well." We stood in awe of his abilities, philanthropy, and dedication to what he loved (career & family). Many of us poses the same qualities and virtues. Our talents are just in different arenas.
We've all been placed in positions where we were admired for those same things. Last Sunday while gearing up to enter a house fire, I passed a little kid who just seemed to be in awe of me (a real live fireman going to put out a fire!). I gave him a big smile & a thumbs up as I went past and he just lit up. For that moment I might have been a hero to him. He'll never know who I am. I'll never know who he was. Point being, I took time to acknowledge him and made a positive impact on his world, if for only an instant. Earnhardt essentially did the same, only on a larger scale.
True, Ironhead didn't die in some empty warehouse, and he wasn't shot & killed along with his partner in some housing project like my best friend was, but he is none the less a hero. Just for different reasons.
Some of you guys shouldn't let a Yankee newspaper get your panties in such a wad. After all, it's just a newspaper. Heroes are defined by their actions, not their professions. I'm sure you & I both know FF's, LEO's, EMT's that are about as useful as a sack of wet hair. Are they heroes too?

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[This message has been edited by FowlPlayCA (edited 02-28-2001).]

[Lewiston2Capt]

Some of you may remember quite a few years back the video taken at a monster truck rally in New York. The video shows bigfoot performing in the arena when it loses control and goes barreling into the pit area. There happened to be some spectators in that area, as the truck is bearing down on a young child an older gentleman pushes the child out of the way and ended up being killed himself. I knew that gentleman, he was/ is a former chief of my FD. You didnt hear any mention of the fact that this guy was a firefighter, you wont see his name on any memorials. Why because he was a volunteer firefighter and was not on a call when he selflessly gave his life for another.
Was it a line of duty death, I think it was, above and beyond, he was doing what he did every day. Will anyone with the authority say that it was? No.

Part of my point is that we have resolutions lining the hallways of our station. But that isnt the real honor, the real honor is the fact that brothers and sisters from all over NY and surrounding areas came to honor him for his funeral.

I love doing this for the kids that I can talk to during fire prevention week. I do this for those people that have too much else going on to remeber to thank us for cutting their mother/father/sister/brother (you get the point) out of the car.

I have stood on this soap box long enough. I will turn it over to whoever.

Thats my $0.02.



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Shawn M. Cecula
Captain
Lewiston Fire Co. No. 2

[Darrell G. White]

Remember all these thoughts when our politicans are up for re-election. Be safe and remember our comrades in your prayers!!

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Chiefd900

[comwhite]

Originally posted by Darrell G. White:
Remember all these thoughts when our politicans are up for re-election. Be safe and remember our comrades in your prayers!!

Oh come on now, I've tried to be fair in this.

[Engine 101]

Originally posted by S. Cook:
1 NASCAR driver this year dies at work 2 weeks ago.

Over 20 firefighters have died in the line of duty this year, 5 in the last 7 days.

Right now, at this very moment, congress is debating on a resolution to honor Earnhardt!

What a deal!

It's just Washingtons way of not showing any appreciation for the Fire Service, They're always talling about putting more Police Officers on the street, Well here's an idea how about we start to put more Firefighter's out there, Washington is just being so very unfair to us, To prove it Bush cuts funding for the Fire Act, What next?

[mongofire_99]

To prove it Bush cuts funding for the Fire Act

What did you expect? Everywhere he went he saw FIREFIGHTERS FOR GORE shirts and signs, He owes us nothing and to be blunt, fire protection is a local issued not a federal one. And there is plenty of blame to go around, the genius that is the IAFF leadership shares in this.

By the way how's the weather up there in Canada?

[Engine69]

Originally posted by mongofire_99:
To prove it Bush cuts funding for the Fire Act

What did you expect? Everywhere he went he saw FIREFIGHTERS FOR GORE shirts and signs, He owes us nothing and to be blunt, fire protection is a local issued not a federal one.

Seems I recall some kind of acceptance speech saying something about being the President for all of the people... I guess he forgot that firefighters are people too?

[RJE]

No, he didn't forget firefighters are people. But he did READ the Constitution.

10th Amendment: powers not specifically granted by (the rest of the document) are reserved for the States, or the People.

Bush is a Federalist. If it's not a specific issue addressed in the Constitution, then it isn't the Feds business. So he's against it. It's not personal. It's not departmental (he's not against firefighters). It's governmental. As a Federalist, he's against more of YOUR money going to Washington, where a Washingtonian can decide how much, if any, to give back to you.

For some things (Defense) obviously the national govt. must take charge. For others, the Demos have been feeding the people a lie since FDR.

[Engine69]

Originally posted by RJE:
No, he didn't forget firefighters are people. But he did READ the Constitution.

10th Amendment: powers not specifically granted by (the rest of the document) are reserved for the States, or the People.

Bush is a Federalist. If it's not a specific issue addressed in the Constitution, then it isn't the Feds business. So he's against it. It's not personal. It's not departmental (he's not against firefighters). It's governmental. As a Federalist, he's against more of YOUR money going to Washington, where a Washingtonian can decide how much, if any, to give back to you.

For some things (Defense) obviously the national govt. must take charge. For others, the Demos have been feeding the people a lie since FDR.

Well alrighty then... let's close the local EMAs since they deal with federal monies for disaster relief. We don't have many earthquakes here in Ohio, so why should the Federal Govenment be involved in the one Seattle just experienced??

[chief56]

My God!!! If you look inside your helmet it says" Firefighting is inherently dangerous" I'm sure the somwhere in Mr. Earnhardt's helmet it said somthing similar. My reply is IT'S OVER move on. Dozens of our brothers have died and surley there wil be more to come. Why is OSHA not ramming rules and procedure up the *** of NASCAR. More importantly lets figure out why these deaths happen and train to prevent them

stay safe

[This message has been edited by chief56 (edited 03-30-2001).]

[larry cook]

As firefighters, we are paid by donations and taxpayer dollars.We are servants of the people. Most of the time, folks will spend more dollars on entertainment than for fire protection. We are the ones that pay all of the sports, movie stars and other celeberities salaries. The cost for all of the salaries, prise money and endorsements are passed on to us the consumer. I have almost quit watching movies or sports. They are the folks who cry when they do not get a million dollar a year raise. You could take the salaries of most any professional teams and purchase an entire years production of fire equitment for the USA. Let us go back and look at the people who we let our kids look up to. We teach our kids to worship sports figures a good part of the time. We need to ask ourselves why do we honor these folks even after we learn of their drug usage and other criminal activity.
Look at the kind of people who use intimidation to get the things out of life that they want. I can think of several people in the middle east that are that way. I sure do not want any young people modeling their lives after those kind of people. I beleive that most Firefighters would not like their kids to model themselves after those folks.
Most firefighters would rather not accept any kind of accolades, other than a thank you. Scott, Congress knows that by making this resolution honoring Earhart, it will be popular with the general public. Most of the time that is what congress will do. By the way do you ever get stopped on the streets and thanked for saving the taxpayers money.

All fire fighters know that we are doing our job to the best of our ability.
Thanks for letting me spout off. LC

[S. Cook]

Chief56 when you said "ITS OVER move on" that was 29 days after this thread had died. Seems it was over and we had moved on...

Larry to my knowledge on the street the FD has never been thanked for saving taxpayer money, something along those lines has been said in city counciol and county commisioers meetings. But the FD has often been thanked just for being the FD if we're out doing some PR or something. I usually reply - "Thanks, that's what they don't pay us for." Which generally brings a smile and sometimes the shock of "You guys are volunteer?!"

By the way, email when your next fundraiser comes around.

[SmokeEater31]

Here we go again...

I should stay out of this one because I have commented before in a similar posting, but...

Let's not forget, we are not in this job for accaliades, pats on the back, or job well done. We know when we have done a good job. We know what it took to do a good job. We know the stresses and pain involved in the service. Civilians do not. Why do we care if they reconize us?

WE are the ones that honor our fallen. Not through big elaborate "recognized days", but in our hearts, through our tears and pain, and feeling of loss when we lose a brother or sister in LODD.

Let the firefighters bury their own, let the civilian world do whatever they want. It does not change the fact that we will STILL answer the 911 calls and risk our lives once again.

I know that personally, I am NOT a hero. NEVER WILL BE a hero. I am someone that signed onto this dangerous profession with the distinct knowledge that it is more than a possibilty, that I could lose my life in a LODD.

We nee to remember we have something that the majority of the world does not. Each other. Who cares about what congress does?


These are just my opinions, and I apologize if I offend anyone.

Your brother in the service,
Rob