Craig - I'm going to look past the fact that you are from West Virginia, where I would not be surprised to hear someone make that sort of comment. But I won't look past the fact that you claim 'public service and military' as your heros, yet you're willing to say that those same people who risk their lives for ignorant citizens like YOU should be overlooked? AND, on top of that, YOU are a FF yourself (South End, Winchester VA, Engine 5), huh? Willing to throw your BROTHERS under the bus. Vollies are fighting it because they don't want to lose donations for them to get new equipment and apparatus that the county will eventually maintain and fuel. Career is fighting it not because they want pay increases, but instead because they want their BROTHERS to be able to take care of themselves and their families. There's already been furloughs, and now talk of not only layoffs but also pay cuts - all the while the vollies have county maintained and fueled apparatus, county paid secretaries to take care of volunteer paperwork (mind you, all they do every day is smoke), over $100k/year of county $ for volunteer awards plaques, and the list goes on. So, maybe we should stop paying to maintain and fuel the vollie apparatus and in turn keep the people who are supposed to be BROTHERS on the job. Honestly, I think its sad that vollies have no respect for someone making a living when we're all supposed to be family. Not someone I would really want to trust my life with the next time I'm running into a burning building. Clearly, you're not one I would trust either with the lack of respect you show. I hope you and your wife, of almost 1.5 years, sleep comfortably at night snuggled up with your dogs knowing that you have the least respect for those willing to die for YOU if YOU ever needed them in an emergency. Maybe they should just look at you and say 'go ask a volunteer to help you, they get the same training - and at no expense to you, right?'.

For the record the starting salary for an entry level firefighter in Montgomery County is $43,278 which is almost $22,000 LESS than your speculation. While we take the same classes we are not held to the same standards. If a volunteer does not have to participate in the offered physical fitness training held before the class, career personnel PT everyday in the morning during rookie class. Volunteers do not have to pass an agility test before they are accepted. Career firefighters must pass CPAP and nationally accepted test prior to hiring. Volunteers can come and go as they please in a lot of departments, though some have an organized stand-by program. If your career and your shift falls on all the big holidays that year guess what your doing? I am not knocking volunteers, I was one for 7 yrs prior to my being hired, however that stats have shown that they can't guarantee service 24/7/365. It's just not that simple. F.Y.I. the national average salaries for firefighters show that the median base salary for a firefighter is $38,451, and those in the 75th percentile earned an average of $48,065, which puts Montgomery Co. below the top.

I am deeply saddened by the narrow-mindedness of some people. Get the facts straight - then post your opinion about them.