It’s only one year, so maybe not enough data to be truly representative. But with a fatality rate of 4.4 it’s one of the safer jobs.
At any rate, I’m not seeing the data to back up claims that being a firefighter is particularly dangerous. Just saying.
XboxBoy[/quote]
In collaboration with the National Cancer Institute and the University of California at Davis – Department of Public Health Sciences, NIOSH researchers found that a combined population of almost 30,000 firefighters from three large cities had higher rates of several types of cancers, and of all cancers combined, than the U.S. population as a whole.
These findings are generally consistent with the results of several previous, smaller studies. Because this new study had a larger study population followed for a longer period of time, the results strengthen the scientific evidence for a relation between firefighting and cancer.
But it’s not just a matter of “danger,” as many jobs are dangerous, but don’t pay as well. It’s also the crazy hours (standard hours/week, averaged out is 56; FLSA exempt, so basically no overtime pay until after this). For the firefighters who are making $40K+ in overtime, they are probably working at least 1,000+ hours/year in addition to the standard 56 hours/week. They also work very erratic schedules, with no set days off (ever), so it’s difficult to have a “normal” life that can be scheduled around work days and times. On an hourly basis, firefighters don’t make any more than other positions with similar skills, training, and responsibility, even if you include other benefits.
Then, there’s the medical training, because most of the calls they go on these days are medical aids. Most firefighters are paramedics. They are the ones who have to stabilize patients when their body parts are splayed out across the street and they’re screaming in pain (if they’re lucky). They regularly deal with horrible accidents and death — including the deaths of too many children. They have to work on patients as the family members look on, crying, screaming, and panicking. They intubate patients, administer life-saving medicines, and perform some radical medical procedures in uncontrolled environments.
…
[Almost all firefighters these days are paramedics as medical aids have grown in number relative to fires. -CAR]
Both EMTs and paramedics have the knowledge and skills to transport patients and provide them with emergency care. The biggest difference between them is the amount of education they receive and what they are allowed to do for patients (scope of practice).
EMTs usually complete a course that is about 120-150 hours in length. Paramedic courses can be between 1,200 to 1,800 hours. EMT and paramedic courses consist of lectures, hands-on skills training, and clinical and/or field internships. EMTs are educated in many skills including CPR, giving patients oxygen, administering glucose for diabetics, and helping others with treatments for asthma attacks or allergic reactions. With very few exceptions, such as in the case of auto-injectors for allergic reactions, EMTs are not allowed to provide treatments that requiring breaking the skin: that means no needles. Paramedics are advanced providers of emergency medical care and are highly educated in topics such as anatomy and physiology, cardiology, medications, and medical procedures. They build on their EMT education and learn more skills such as administering medications, starting intravenous lines, providing advanced airway management for patients, and learning to resuscitate and support patients with significant problems such as heart attacks and traumas.
Then, they also have to deal with hazmat calls, rescues, etc. Finally, they fight fires…and have to work for days (or weeks, or months) in the smoke and heat when fighting brush fires, and have to know how to fight structure fires, too (there’s a surprising amount of science and physics involved, as well).
They are not low-skilled personnel, and most people could not do their jobs, much less do them well.
