Reverandfunk - I showed great restraint earlier but, yes we all agree that firemen, and women, do a great job. However, one of their occupations outside work hours is painting and decorating. My professional painter and decorator husband spent a couple of years painting fire stations in the London area. This was not a good mix. He resented them having 2 jobs, their shift allowing them a good opportunity for sleep to recover from painting and decorating.
They would brag that they did this, ask him how to do certain jobs, ask to buy company paint for a pittance, be declined but the paint went missing anyway. Arriving for work one day he found his ladders had been spirited away from locked fire brigade property. His company, not wishing to cause a problem, asked him not to call the cops but sent more ladders.
Still, you have to love those uniforms tho.