Paid -vs- Volunteer

[EASY PICKINS]

In one corner we have " the profesionals" ,
and in the other we have " the volunteers".
But what is the differece , what sets these two apart . Only one small , little piece of paper , a paycheck !!! but in many areas , and definatly in mine , "the profesionals" seem to think that they are far more superior
than those quote "redneck volunteers". Even though we have the same type equipment , the same capabilities, and even go to the same acadamy to train . We respond to many calls each year as mutual aid to a paid department,
and it seems that each time we do we get the cold shoulder from them ,simply because they get a paycheck and we don't. Our county council even seems to side with them, one county councilman even going as far as calling us " overgrown boys wanting expensive
toys to cary out thier boyhood dreams of flashing lights , and blaring sirens" .
A volunteers job is just as dangerous , we see and do the same things as a paid fireman,
so where did all of this "holier than thou"
stuff come from ? The beast sure does not discriminate , so why should a paid fireman.
That paycheck burns as easily as anything else, and we " redneck volunteers " are just as trained as you "profesionals" to put it out.


[This message has been edited by EASY PICKINS (edited August 23, 2000).]

[FireRebel]

SORRY.....
this topic has been discussed and discussed many more times than I care to mention, we all know there are tension between some Volly and Paid Departments but the endless posts on this subject usually just heat things up more than do any good, so please lets put this issue to bed, there is so much more interesting things in the fire service to discuss than this pity topic....Stay Safe

[Jay Sonnenfeld]

I agree with the firrst reply. This topic is always going to fire people up whether positive or negative. One thing I will add though is that we are all professionals the difference being the paycheck. I once had an instructor from the carreer side ask this question to a class full of vollies.Which kitchen fire is more dangerous the one in the city or the one in your town. Think about it.
Be safe and keep educating yourself.

[RDWFIRE]

Ditto the last two replies. Give it a rest!
We ALL do the same job, equally well.
Drop it!

[Brian Dunlap]

Yeah there is no sense bringing it up...The Volunteers know thier Jobs as do the Career people ...When we beep we go to work no matter our status....This topic is as old as volunteer firefighting and needs to come to an end.....Yes there are SOME and I say Some Career People out there who think they are better because they get paid...They are the dangerous ones and simply just ignore those idiots....We are all for one and one for all....FIREFIGHTERS !!!!

[FFTrainer]

The difference between "Professional" and "Volunteer" is nothing as we are all professionals in what we try to do to help each other.

Now if you ask the difference between "Career" and "Volunteer" then I will say a paycheck.

Now can we leave this one alone and talk about something important like saving ourselves from the fires we are trained to fight or the morons who want to shoot us down while we raise money for kids??

[This message has been edited by FFTrainer (edited August 31, 2000).]