I’m sick of the bull and the sacred cow treatment. Here’s the most dangerous (from Bureau of Labour Statistics):

1. Fishers and related fishing workers. Drowning.
2. Logging workers. Being struck by falling object.
3. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers. Crashes.
4. Structural iron and steel workers. Falls.
5. Taxi drivers. Homicide.
6. Construction laborers. Vehicular accidents and falls.
7. Farmers and ranchers. Vehicular accidents.
8. Roofers. Falls.
9. Electrical power-line installers and repairers. Electrocution.
10. Driver/sales workers and truck drivers. Highway collisions.
11. Refuse and recyclable material collectors. Vehicular accidents, falls, being struck by objects, and exposure to harmful substances or environments.
12. Police and sheriff’s patrol officers. Homicide and highway collisions.

That’s right, farmers risk their lives bringing you breakfast, lunch, and dinner, more than police and fire fighters.

The bottom line is whether or not you can replace someone with an equally competent person. Yes or no. Public employers need to start investigating the answer to that question. I’m tired of paying too much and giving those that “serve” the public a better deal than the public themselves.

And just another word to the wise: every time your presented with a question to vote for a tax increase to pay for so-called essential services like police and fire you’re being hoodwinked. They couch the question like that so they don’t have to cut spending for other things which you wouldn’t vote for if you were presented the choice.

Police, fire, teachers, and [fill in the blank] are treated with kid gloves as they are considered reliable voting blocks by politicians.

Full disclosure: My brother in law is chief of a fire department (though I will not disclose the municipality).