Dont Blame the Fire Fighters!

I’ve posted this before.. but it needs repeating  @RepMorgan  @SenKettle

Firefighting demands a high level of dedication and professionalism for those who choose it as a career. A firefighter must possess the courage and stamina to risk their lives for the sake of others. They must also study long hours and go through extensive periods of training to become effective and efficient professional firefighters.

Whether it is rescuing people from a burning building, caring for their medical needs, extinguishing fires in a home or community business, this profession is all about helping others. Firefighters are essential to making our neighborhoods safe for our residents, our visitors and the job providers we need in order to keep our towns running. You would think that professionals who risk their lives to protect us would receive more respect and support from ALL of their elected officials and the very COMMUNITY they serve. Instead, there are too many leaders and citizens who want to make it harder for firefighters to simply do their jobs, maybe because they don’t believe them to be a KEY essential element in a safe and prosperous community?  Yet it is our very communities that suffer when our loved ones are hurt or in danger and no one qualified is there to answer the call for help. Why is it that so many legislators and citizens alike don’t seem to understand this and do everything in their power to take away from these brave men and women at the first notion of a tax increase? Why are firefighters, police, teachers and members of our military always the first on the list to take the cuts and make the concessions? We need to remember, “You get what you pay for” and if you want the best and brightest protecting you and teaching your children…you need to be willing to make your own concessions!

So many are misinformed with all the drama, politics and hoopla surrounding these matters... Firefighters are there to protect us day after day, and we have to give them the tools they need to do their jobs, including proper resources to negotiate a fair pay wage in order to support themselves and their families. The “Union” they belong to is the only means of protection these brave men and women have against the very people and business they protect! Just because “unions” may have caused problems in the past in other areas, does not mean THIS union THIS time is a problem and just because you may not like a certain members of their team, doesn’t mean the whole bunch is rotten.

Central Coventry Fire Fighters have always been willing to STEP UP and WORK in order to straighten out the finances in their town, so that those in charge can move forward with what is best for the TOWN! They are not choosing to walk away. Why are you punishing them for the misdoings of those they also trusted. To blame the "firefighters" for the money troubles caused by those actually running the show is WRONG… They are as caught in the middle with this as the residents of Coventry! No one can really afford their taxes in any town, who wants to pay more and how do you think these men and women will be paying their bills without jobs? Many of these men and women live in YOUR community and you want to un-employ them and bring in an outside company?

This community keeps voting in the same career politicians and keeps them paid well while they bash the unions and  these "local heroes” who sacrifice time away from their families and their lives, to do their job to protect you! Would you risk your LIFE for a paycheck? Would that career politician who is spinning the stories you are listening to? Please don’t believe the propaganda that gets drudged out before you by those who don’t understand what it means to endure the sacrifice of this profession… Knowing what it takes to become a professional firefighter and the fact that he/she cares enough to stand up for his profession and community should mean something to you.

Do not put blanket blame on a whole organization for issues caused by a few individuals. Support the firefighters and work TOGETHER to make your town a safe and prosperous place to live. Don’t PUNISH the fire fighters and their families… The problem CAN be fixed by working together, not by throwing away all the training and commitment these brave men/women have given to Coventry… We are all in this together and CCFD is willing to make sacrifices to get us back on track!