Why should a fireman be able to retire at 50?

[dave50]

He is the husband of a friend of ours and he is a fireman and is 50 next year and can retire on full pension. He is always on about the holidays he will be taking and how he will find himself another part time job to earn a bit of extra money to fund all these holidays he is planning. It makes me angry to know that I as a tax payer will be funding his lavish lifestyle for perhaps the next 30 years. It is disgusting and grossly unfair. There are lots of tasks firemen can do within the fire service that they can carry out as they get older, there is no excuse.

[brenda]

OP--what a jealous , ignorant of the facts, miserable person you must be.

[Old_Geezer]

Have to say that if it is only about £800 a month, well if you have paid off your house then today you may be able to live on it, but tomorrow may be a different issue. Does tend to put a different viewpoint on the issue. One would have otherwise assumed it was a decent pension being referred to. Woe betide you if you still have a mortgage needing a bigger monthly payment than that though. That's the big drag, need to get it paid off and out of the way.

[Messi_Ten]

Farm workers have to face bulls every day, I'd rather be a fireman!

[woofgang]

very few farms keep bulls any more, its all artificial insemination...Poultry farms definitely dont keep bulls.....

[doctordb]

....hit!

[Quizmonster]

Lottie, nobody is suggesting that farm-labourers or fishermen put their lives at risk for others, but the fact is that - in percentage terms - more of them die in work-related circumstances than firemen. In other words, farming and fishing are more dangerous forms of employment than firefighting.

[chakka35]

I haven't read all the posts here so forgive me if this point has already been made.

The fireman's 'company' pension is totally funded by the tax-payer, who not only funds the fire service which may make a contribution but also supplies the wages and salaries from which the fire officers pay 'their share'.

[LoftyLottie]

Quiz Monster, I agree, but if you are risking your life to save other people then I think it carries more weight and you should be paid more. Just my opinion. I live amongst farm land and near the sea and know how dangerous these occupations can be. Farm workers are not underpaid any more in my opinion and I know plenty who retire quite comfortably.

[jno]

those that haven't been gored to death by a hen

[wolf63]

I got my civil service pension when I was 40 :-)

[LoftyLottie]

Pheasants are more dangerous around these parts jno!!!