4 High-Value Jobs That Don’t Pay Nearly Enough

firefighters dont get paid enough??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
 
There's a lot more than four jobs out there with valued yet underpaid employees...
 
Angel said:
firefighters dont get paid enough??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Click to expand...

Maybe the author didn't know that EMTs are often separate positions from firefighter.
 
Angel said:
firefighters dont get paid enough??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Click to expand...
You do have to keep in mind that the majority of fire departments in the US are volunteer staffed.

For us in CA its the exact opposite
 
Angel said:
firefighters dont get paid enough??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Click to expand...

Not all FDs pay their staff exorbitant salaries. With that said they're generally better paid than us.

I make the same hourly as a fire medic here, they just make more because of the 56 hr vs 48 hr work week.
 
Google is your friend.

We make similar lists like that written by others.

Like dude said, don't take it personally.
 
Where I interned firefighters would make $1000 for working a "call back". Just like that! It's not the hourly it's all the extra stipend for being a medic, having a degree, working OT ect. Its very easy to pull in 70k, and they don't HAVE to be paid OT. there's some policy that states they can be paid straight time for x-amount of OT hours.
Anyway. Ca FF have it nice.
 
Up here teachers, cops, and firefighters all make great money. All three are well above the national average. Lifeguards make pretty good money, as well. My first job was as a lifeguard, and I didn't make that much money at a job again until my mid twenties.

Care aides, on the other hand, don't make nearly enough money. We had to do a care home shift as part of our practicum, and I wouldn't do that job if they gave me a blank cheque every day.
 
You want to see underpaid/overworked? Resident physicians.
 
Angel said:
firefighters dont get paid enough??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Click to expand...

It may shock you but I was making minimum wage as a firefighter. Where it balances out is that I had a 72hr work week, plus I went out on strike teams this fire season and if you're lucky the days you're out of county are OT.
 
CALEMT said:
It may shock you but I was making minimum wage as a firefighter. Where it balances out is that I had a 72hr work week, plus I went out on strike teams this fire season and if you're lucky the days you're out of county are OT.
Click to expand...
Regardless of what you may have been told, if you do the math, you were not making minimum wage; you were making at least $12 per hour as a first-year FF1.

Still not great money, but certainly not minimum wage.
 
Last edited:
gotshirtz001 said:
Regardless of what you may have been told, if you do the math, you were not making minimum wage; you were making at least $12 per hour as a first-year FF1.

Still not great money, but certainly not minimum wage.
Click to expand...

Yeah because of the 72hr work week and planned OT each pay period, still not the best but enough. Also its short lived because every 6 months of service you get a pay step increase, I don't know how much though.
 
The first 53 hours each week, you make about $12.00 per hour. Your rate for planned and unplanned OT is $13.50 because the published hourly rate is $9.00. A first year FF1 will make about $3800 per month if you just work your weekly 72. Not chump change for the work performed.
 
gotshirtz001 said:
No, the first 53 hours each week, you make about $12.00 per hour. Your rate for planned and unplanned OT is $13.50 because the published hourly rate is $9.00. A first year FF1 will make about $3800 per month if you just work your weekly 72. Not chump change for the work performed.
Click to expand...

Hmm interesting, I never really went that in depth to find out, I'm guessing the 3800 is before taxes because even with salary and my planned OT it wasn't that much. (wish it was haha)
 
CALEMT said:
Hmm interesting, I never really went that in depth to find out, I'm guessing the 3800 is before taxes because even with salary and my planned OT it wasn't that much. (wish it was haha)
Click to expand...
If you're curious to read about how it all works, I wrote a ditty on the CAFF forum. This will help you to understand why promoted positions make so much more even though the published wages do not seem too far off of each other.

And yes, these are gross wages before taxes, union dues, retirement and meals.

http://www.californiafirefighter.com/showthread.php?t=9188
 
Angel said:
firefighters dont get paid enough??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Click to expand...

Of course not! They pull people from burning buildings on a daily bas...



Sorry, couldn't finish.
 
Linuss said:
Of course not! They pull people from burning buildings on a daily bas...



Sorry, couldn't finish.
Click to expand...

Its totally backwards. Im curious how things will change, or wont, once "firefighting" becomes almost only medicals. Medics get paid peanuts, and they consistently run calls, while FF get an exorbitant salary and maybe....barely...rarely have 1 working fire a week. Even as a Medic with some Fire depts id still make crap compared to the actual FF even though my job pays for their budget and salary (and still get treated like crap). I'd feel so used
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top