The US Is Gutting Fire Crews As Wildfires Rage

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Produced by: Cory Ray, Philip DeFranco
Edited by: James Girardier, Maxwell Enright, Julie Goldberg, Christian Meeks, Matthew Henry
Art Department: William Crespo
Writing/Research: Maddie Crichton, Philip DeFranco
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#Fire #Wildfire #California

[NarwhaI]

We don't do it for the money, but we can't do it without the money

[Real_Evil_Mario]

Government must be like: “Gasp! The consequences of my own actions!”

[aick]

I worked Fire Crew/Trail Crew in the early 1990s when it was a well-paying job. You telling me they haven't increased the wages since then? Yeah I would never do that job for less than a serious living wage, you risk your life every time you go out.

[STRIKAMV]

firefighters : we work in dangerous conditions we need a better pay.
old people in offices : yeah no.
firefighters : we quit.
old people in offices : pikachue surpised face, idk why they leaving.

[Judamango]

EMS should have white collar pay. They have some of the most important jobs there is

[ChronicAndIronic]

US Forest Service needs Basic Housing and Basic Sustenance allowances like the military.

[ChocolatteDee]

I am genuinely so happy you brought awareness to the cancer risks that firefighters take on when serving their communities. So so many people who get into that job know that the gear that saves them on the job puts them at risk EVERY single time they suit up. Many different causes to this problem but establishing a conversation on this has been VERY overdue.

[janbenes]

Firefighters being paid minimum vage? I always think there's nothing more that could surprise me, but I guess there's always a new low.

[nbonds]

I was a rural fire department firefighter many years ago. And while this story is sad and raises concerns. The true unsung heroes of wildland firefighting are very often local farmers and ranchers, many who are members of Rural fire protection agencies (RFPA) who put everything on hold and operate with decades old equipment and don't get paid a cent. If you look you will find them on most wildland fires. There needs to be federal assistance for these agencies too.

[iamthecoffeewhisperer]

The low pay of these firefighters who risk their lives and health is a disgrace to the government which continues to let this go on. I'd like to know why this is happening.

[ribottostudio]

*boomers:* why don't they just work harder?

[Canadian_geographer]

Dam this really feels like us in Canada

[LockedOsprey]

My dad is a firefighter and he has to work for anywhere from 6-10 days straight without going home to just be able to put food on the table. I only get to see him for maby 3 days then he leaves. We practically dont have a dad at home. He lives at work. He also drills into us how one day he could just die due to how his job is literally trying to kill him. He also tells us how wild fires can be as hot as 3000 degrees or even hotter and he also warns us that is can move at well over 130 mph and the same temperature. Another thing we're told is just how loud fire is. In wild fires it can sound as loud or louder than ten jet engines going at once. Point is that the job is way too dangerous and important for them to be payed so little.

[Kaaru]

Chick-fil-A pays staff more than our government pays firefighters who risk their lives to protect our homes, our property in our lives kind of pathetic.

[Reza_]

15$/hr is bizarre, who would risk their life for so little? they need to be paid at least 50-100$ per hour!

[jameshudson]

People are beginning to realize that they want you to risk your life and not pay you shit or even take care of you after getting sick from the job. Its also the same reason they having issues with the military as well.

[OpticPlay_]

I actually love the idea of being a fire fighter, but once I looked into the salary I said HAHA NO! Absolutely disgusting these vital services are underpaid.

[hbngy]

It’s a sad truth that firefighters aren’t being paid enough and we have no one to blame but the government it’s not our departments fault that the government won’t secure more stable wages for firefighters but we also have to look at others like EMTs they are also grossly under paid (idk about police officers or dispatchers I haven’t checked there pays since it’s not something I have experience with)

[SaintTeejaye]

America: do not pay anybody, except the Supreme Court judges, defense contractors and billionaires

[alexalex]

pov: capitalism actually making us regress instead of progress.

Who could've seen it coming