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Should Volunteer Firefighters Get Paid for Calls?
70% of the nations firefighters are volunteers who risk their lives everytime a call goes out. Some say yes because of the risk and some say no because it was a choice made to do the job, what do you think?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Edmund Ford Power 3rd on
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No. I wouldn't give up my pay and definately not leave the volunteer fire department because I like it and I will keep doing it until I retire.
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Permalink Reply by Jack Curles on
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Maybe we do need to change our name from Fire Rescue personel to Lifeguards! Geese after reading that article in the AP news yesterday about Venice Beach Lifeguards making $200000 a year I almost fell out! I don't want to get paid to volunteer but some reembursement for gas would be nice since we cover a huge rural district.
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Permalink Reply by CEB on
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This thought may have already been posted but for my two cents, as we commonly know volunteer to mean in the fire service, you perform a service for no pay. You are either a paid FF or a volunteer FF. I read some people trying to pick at this point w/ technicalities and such. We all know the difference.
Also, once someone gets financial compensation for doing something, ie. paid to be a firefighter, then the payer can start demanding the level and quality of the service they are paying for. Voulunteer fire departments would disappear due to a lack of members if the same demands were placed on them as are placed on urban and suburban career departments. A volunteer fire department needs some loosness and flexibility to survive. I am makeing a general statement here. I'm sure there are some exceptions on both sides, but generally speaking........................
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Permalink Reply by ashfire on
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Well I can tel you this. It took me 25 years of service and age 55 to get my volunteer pension which is over $300 a month. Plus every year we get to deduct from our income taxes $300 to $3000 depending on how you file your taxes. There are other money back ways volunteers can get money back for their services from when they start to when they retire.
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Permalink Reply by David Francis on
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It depends on how you define paid on this question, when i was a volunteer 12 yrs ago with 29 palms fire dept. we were paid for each call we went on, now mind you the payment was $4.50, in which the water district paid for. Now yes we do this because we want to, because of our own reasons to do this. Yes 70% of the nations firefighters are volunteers, and we do deserve a pat on the back for risking our lives for our community. To be honest with I recieved my payment yesterday while I was at my martial arts dojo.
I had walked outside to cool down and grab an extra water out of my suv. As I was making my way back towards the door, I was stopped by one of the kids parents and he asked if that was my suv and if I was a firefighter. I had said yes, that I am a volunteer. He then proceeded to extend his hand and shake mine with a generous smile and a whole hearted thank you for "us" doing what we do. That to me is my payment enough. We may not get these sort of "payments" often, but when they do come into play to me it feels like a million dollars.
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I understand your point on bills and morgage, and all that. I make min wage with my everyday job. which isn't enough to cover any of that. now not starting an argument but what really needs to happen is this... raise min wage by like $6.00. in the past 60yrs min wage has gone up $5.00 where is the justice in that?
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Permalink Reply by 55 TRUCK on
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I retired from the Army with 20yrs. I was active duty then guard. Yes the guard gets paid when
training. Yes the military is a vol organization. to a point. You sign a contract you can't
just walk away like you can as a vol fireman.
As a vol. If your officer came to you on a structure fire and said. "The chief wants us to
Go in. We are gonna take about 20% casualties." I'm sure you might have some choice words
as you walk away. A soilder doesn't have that option.
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Permalink Reply by Gregory Borg on
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If you get paid you are NOT a volunteer. You are just underpaid with no benefits or representation. The reasons that have been mentioned, like not enough people showing up or no one at training, is the start of a fully paid department. Do you want to volunteer of just work for crap wages? You have to answer that yourself.
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Permalink Reply by Robby Stables on
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Volunteers is many places in Canada do get paid, in comparison to career staff the hourly rate is low but it compensates for the #am calls and the wet cold nights / days.
It is a good way to compensate the people that help the community but I would do it for nothing because I like the ability to give back and ride the BRT. I was actually suprised by my paycheck the first time. I think it is a good thing, youget a couple of hundred bucks every quarter and it allows you to take your wife/husband out for supper. They have to be on board for your to serve so it is a win win.
My Vote - YES
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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If you get paid to respond, you no longer fit the definition of "volunteer" as Mr. Borg pointed out.
Getting paid a small amount per call makes you a "paid on call" firefighter, or a "retained" firefighter as our friends across the pond describe it.
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Permalink Reply by Matt Marderosian on
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What i would like to know is what percentage of FD's are just paid on call for exsample the FD i am on makes just over 200 calls a year but depending on our training that is what we make per call.
As far as i know most Fd's in Michigan are Paid on call.
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Permalink Reply by Rebekka Arcand on
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We should there are a lot of depts in our area that pay on call. our dept does not pay the volunteers but yet our board goes around saying we get paid. I honestly feel we should get paid for what we do.
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