Parity NOW!

Union President Jim Daws said he'll start encouraging Atlanta firefighters to quit.

"I'm going to start advertising all the better firefighting opportunities that are available nationwide to our members and there are greener pastures elsewhere for firefighters too," Daws said.

Just before the vote, Atlanta residents and firefighters told the Council that firefighters simply deserve the same payraises as police officers.

No, they don't.

I like firemen. I don't have anything against them when they aren't being whiny bitches and saying stupid things at City Council meetings. They do a valuable job and are important to the communities they serve.

Their job is not comparable to police officers. The hours are different. The calls are different. The culture is different. They may both be under the 'Public Safety' umbrella but claiming that not receiving the same pay as a police officer is an insult and that they are therefore being victimized by the big, bad Mayor, is a bogus argument.

Firemen, traditionally, work 24 hours/have 48 hours off. They stay at the firehouse for their 24 hours. If there are calls, they answer them. They conduct themselves bravely and professionally. But they are not working nonstop for that 24 hour period. If there are no calls, they don't go anywhere. They sleep. They eat. They watch TV. They call their girlfriends. They work out (there's a reason firefighters have hot bods and cops look like Weebles).

Cops, traditionally, work shifts that run from 8-12 hours. They have to come in early for roll call. They leave late because of paperwork. There damn well better be no sleeping. They frequently don't get a chance to eat. They do manage to call their girlfriends. If there are no calls, they are expected to go out and find something to do. Firefighters can't scare up a fire the way a police officer can make an unexpected DUI arrest. Okay, they could, but there's law against that sort of thing.

I try to meet Brick for supper a couple of times a week because that way I know he'll eat before midnight. While he's on his meal 'break' the radio is going constantly, and he's having to monitor everything that his shift is up to. His department cell rings at least three times in a 30 minute break. He has had to leave to respond to a call during his meal more than once.

There is a difference between constant work and a long shift with potential work. There just is.

Now I could be a whiny bitch and go to the City Council and claim 'The police are being disrespected! They don't have beds! They don't have group meals! They don't get cookbooks! That's not fair! The Mayor's mean! Y'all don't like us as much as you like the firemen!'

Or, I could accept that life ain't fair, the job is what it is, it's the life that is chosen, no one drafted anyone and made them become a public safety employee, no one is forcing them to remain a public safety employee, there are positives and negatives to everything.