Bonfire Night Warning As Firefighters Strike

[Still Waters]

Firefighters in England and Wales will go on strike tonight despite the chance of it being one of the busiest days of the year for the service ahead of Guy Fawkes night and Diwali celebrations.

Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) will walk out from 6.30pm to 11pm, and again for two hours from 6am next Monday - the day before Bonfire Night..

http://uk.news.yahoo...29.html#50XpU42

[Almagest]

Still burning an effigy of a patsy who has been dead for over 400 years as part of an anti-Catholic ritual eh?

[Crabby Kitten]

Am I the only one who thinks fireworks shouldn't be sold to the general public?

[stevewinn]

Am I the only one who thinks fireworks shouldn't be sold to the general public?

well no, your not the only one - I also dont think fireworks should be sold to the public, organised professional displays put on by the local authority are best and the way forward. - I remember three years ago before they were banned a fire work that looked like a turnip wrapped in brown paper and when that went off it was like an anti aircraft gun going off. beautiful display, had the power to cause serious injury. IE blow your hand off. i've never been a big fan bonfire night.

as for the topic of fire fighters going on strike. i can see why they are striking, the government is trying to change their pensions and increase the retirement age to 60. i think 60 is to old to be a firefighter. especially front line.

[Thanato]

How can firefighters go on strike?

[Commander CMG]

Sack anyone that does.. There are millions out there looking for well paid work.

Fire-fighters are quick to go on strike when working conditions are not going their way, I wonder how many of these fire-fighters that moonlight as, builders, carpet fitters, window cleaners on their days off are paying tax on their additional earnings?

[stevewinn]

Sack anyone that does.. There are millions out there looking for well paid work.

Fire-fighters are quick to go on strike when working conditions are not going their way, I wonder how many of these fire-fighters that moonlight as, builders, carpet fitters, window cleaners on their days off are paying tax on their additional earnings?

its a good point. they work 4 days on 4 days off. have a excellent pension and are well paid. - myself i can swing both ways, on one hand i can see why you'd strike, when the government is messing about with your pension and retirement age. but on the other hand, they are paid well, have good pensions. but do an excellent job which has expanded over the years from fighting fires to a Fire and Rescue roll and also fire prevention. maybe new pay and conditions should be negotiated which ultimately prevents them ever going on strike in the future or maybe a law passed.

[TSS]

Hello mate - hope you're well

Sack anyone that does.. There are millions out there looking for well paid work.

I wouldn't call take home pay of about 400 a week well paid - it's average pay for an above average job, it certainly isn't well paid.

As for there being millions looking for well paid work, i'm sure there are, however, most people could not do that job. You might be used to seeing the dark sides of life in your job, most people are not, and they could not handle a 30 - 35yr stint of seeing, smelling and touching burnt and mangled people, putting dead children into body bags, cutting limbs out of wrecks.....and that's not to mention the sounds you hear.

Here's the last 3 jobs my dad did before being pensioned off.....(and for months before the this they had had a pretty easy time, just a few fatalities (the odd kid drowning, and a few people killed in accidents etc))...then within 2 weeks he had:

1) Women pulled out at a junction and was hit side on...she was twisted in the wreck of the car but fully alive. My dad was nearest her, he held her hand and promised her he would get her out.....there was petrol everywhere, they got most of the front of the car off whilst trying to unmangle her legs, then something sparked and the whole lot went up....his last image is of her looking at him, screaming, and then dying...

2) 3 days after that there was RTA on the M25, as they turned up the car was ablaze, two toddlers in the back (3 and 4 yrs old)..they couldn't see them, just hear them.....high pitched screams as they burnt to death. By the time the hoses were out and ready to go it was a deathly silence..

3) Then he was on another job which I won't go into the details of, by he had his back broken....he never worked again.

That is the reality of the job. One which he still has nightmares over.......not to mention the 100's of other horrendous sights he's seen. So to suggest that millions of others could do that job is just wrong - it takes a certain type of mentality that most haven't got.

Fire-fighters are quick to go on strike when working conditions are not going their way, I wonder how many of these fire-fighters that moonlight as, builders, carpet fitters, window cleaners on their days off are paying tax on their additional earnings?

The pension is the only thing that makes the risk worth while. My dad gets about 600 a month, some say that's a lot, him and my mum live in a tiny two up - two down, they just get by....remove the pension and they have nothing. He's earnt that pension and the right to 'just get by' for the yrs he put into helping others.

I hope those lads get what they want from the strike - I support them.

Edited November 3, 2013 by Sky Scanner

[Commander CMG]

Hello mate - hope you're well

I wouldn't call take home pay of about 400 a week well paid - it's average pay for an above average job, it certainly isn't well paid.

As for there being millions looking for well paid work, i'm sure there are, however, most people could not do that job. You might be used to seeing the dark sides of life in your job, most people are not, and they could not handle a 30 - 35yr stint of seeing, smelling and touching burnt and mangled people, putting dead children into body bags, cutting limbs out of wrecks.....and that's not to mention the sounds you hear.

Here's the last 3 jobs my dad did before being pensioned off.....(and for months before the this they had had a pretty easy time, just a few fatalities (the odd kid drowning, and a few people killed in accidents etc))...then within 2 weeks he had:

1) Women pulled out at a junction and was hit side on...she was twisted in the wreck of the car but fully alive. My dad was nearest her, he held her hand and promised her he would get her out.....there was petrol everywhere, they got most of the front of the car off whilst trying to unmangle her legs, then something sparked and the whole lot went up....his last image is of her looking at him, screaming, and then dying...

2) 3 days after that there was RTA on the M25, as they turned up the car was ablaze, two toddlers in the back (3 and 4 yrs old)..they couldn't see them, just hear them.....high pitched screams as they burnt to death. By the time the hoses were out and ready to go it was a deathly silence..

3) Then he was on another job which I won't go into the details of, by he had his back broken....he never worked again.

That is the reality of the job. One which he still has nightmares over.......not to mention the 100's of other horrendous sights he's seen. So to suggest that millions of others could do that job is just wrong - it takes a certain type of mentality that most haven't got.

The pension is the only thing that makes the risk worth while. My dad gets about 600 a month, some say that's a lot, him and my mum live in a tiny two up - two down, they just get by....remove the pension and they have nothing. He's earnt that pension and the right to 'just get by' for the yrs he put into helping others.

I hope those lads get what they want from the strike - I support them.

Take home pay of £400 is very good for a 4 day week, I do know many fire-fighters that are paid more and no one is forcing them to see the dark side of the job, they know the job and what it has to offer when they sign up, if it isn’t for them then they have options. Most young soldiers on the front line don’t get anywhere near that, but they also knew what to expect when they joined up.

I agree with the principle of the strike and the fact the government have made changes to the pensions etc but they are not the only ones it effects, I may have exaggerated using the word millions, but I know many people on the waiting list to join and there are many more probably willing to step in if the jobs were available. Part of life, is the effect the government changes are having on people, capped redundancy payments, pensions job cuts, military units being wiped of the slate.

I do sympathise with your dads situation and what he witnessed, nothing prepares you for that, even knowing it is going be a part of the job, but they don’t witness that on a daily basis, many shifts go without incidents, my friend had a couple of burning skips last week and a ring to cut off some old dears finger. I have the ultimate respect for those that risk their own life and safety for others… damn shame the Ministers don’t.

Hope your endurance training is coming on mate

Edited November 3, 2013 by Sir Rupert Von-Fritz 3rd

[TSS]

Take home pay of £400 is very good for a 4 day week, I do know many fire-fighters that are paid more and no one is forcing them to see the dark side of the job, they know the job and what it has to offer when they sign up, if it isn’t for them then they have options. Most young soldiers on the front line don’t get anywhere near that, but they also knew what to expect when they joined up.

I agree with the principle of the strike and the fact the government have made changes to the pensions etc but they are not the only ones it effects, I may have exaggerated using the word millions, but I know many people on the waiting list to join and there are many more probably willing to step in if the jobs were available. Part of life, is the effect the government changes are having on people, capped redundancy payments, pensions job cuts, military units being wiped of the slate.

I do sympathise with your dads situation and what he witnessed, nothing prepares you for that, even knowing it is going be a part of the job, but they don’t witness that on a daily basis, many shifts go without incidents, my friend had a couple of burning skips last week and a ring to cut off some old dears finger. I have the ultimate respect for those that risk their own life and safety for others… damn shame the Ministers don’t.

Hope your endurance training is coming on mate

I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one mate. Cause I think 400 a week for a 4 day week is far from very good. That's a 100quid a day, my brother-in-law is a roofer and wouldn't get out of bed for less then 160 a day, most trades people wouldn't. Yet firemen are supposed to have to justify earning just 2/3rds of that......I just don't get the thinking behind that i'm afraid.

You wouldn't see any criticism from me if soldiers striked, i'd support them too....and that's the way the government/s get people to not side with the services, by pointing out that one area only get this, so the other area should take a cut too....it's like playing the people against the services that protect them.

I know they know the job when they sign up....but that shouldn't ever justify cutting people's pay and pensions, if anything the opposite should apply...because they knew what the pay and pension was when signing up, yet they aren't changing the rules of the game now, the government is.

Training is going ok, thanks

[Commander CMG]

I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one mate. Cause I think 400 a week for a 4 day week is far from very good. That's a 100quid a day, my brother-in-law is a roofer and wouldn't get out of bed for less then 160 a day, most trades people wouldn't. Yet firemen are supposed to have to justify earning just 2/3rds of that......I just don't get the thinking behind that i'm afraid.

You wouldn't see any criticism from me if soldiers striked, i'd support them too....and that's the way the government/s get people to not side with the services, by pointing out that one area only get this, so the other area should take a cut too....it's like playing the people against the services that protect them.

I know they know the job when they sign up....but that shouldn't ever justify cutting people's pay and pensions, if anything the opposite should apply...because they knew what the pay and pension was when signing up, yet they aren't changing the rules of the game now, the government is.

Training is going ok, thanks

I also know tradesmen on nearly £200 per day, I know Private security guys in the Sand pit on just over £100 per day, an environment like that used to dictate over £1000 a day not that long ago. The system is shot mate..

The solution is we retrain as decorators and roofers? Or from the looks of the lifestyles I see at the pub near my gym, of people on benefits.. we should just sign on?

.