Thats great Toe! but for those of us who have no clue as to what you are talking about could you please explain your joy?
Bottom line, we all transfer to the Fresno Fire Department 7/01/07. It's about a 20% pay increase to start, as I will go over in rank (chauffeur/engineer), but more than that, it's a guaranteed career for our young guys, with the prestige of being a member of one of the most professional, oldest and most respected fire agencies in the state.
Fresno has been gobbling up our district (and corresponding revenues) since 1978 and, as a result, we have gone from seven stations down to five. I was the first guy hired in the department's history to be laid off, back in '86, along with five others. Fortunately, my battalion chief, who has a heart, unlike the chief, retired in disgust the next day, saving my position. He got a case of wine the following day, along with my undying gratitude.
Meanwhile, the chief worked his position to the second (only to Fresno) highest paid among a list of area departments where we were the second lowest. His son, for whom he got a job in the sheriff's department, eventually was fired and prosecuted for pulling over immigrant farm workers and lightening their wallets on the roadside, thinking they wouldn't report him for fear of getting deported. That apple didn't fall far from the tree. It can't be proven, but it's suspected that when the chief retired, he took along several hundred thousand dollars. I could go on ad infinitum about that POS. He even had a moustache that was very similar to the one worn by Adolph Hitler.
By getting politically active, and eventually (12 years) changing the makeup of the district's elected board of directors, the chief knew when the jig was up. We then got a professional, educated chief for the last five years of his career, and we started getting reasonable pay increases, but we were too far behind for them to afford to make our department competitive in the area.
Fresno just received an OES Urban Search and Rescue unit, one of only six in the state, no doubt in part due to their levels of training and their involvement in the Katrina efforts. I intend to become a member of the USAR team, as rescue is my preferred area of specialization.
I've also never driven a ladder truck, of which they have several. It's gonna be pretty cool piloting a piece of equipment that's worth over half a million dollars.
They also have fires. Real fires and lots of 'em. Where's that chubby emoticon? In 24 years, I can count the number of first-in working structure fires where we've done interior attacks on my fingers and remaining toes.
on the toe part. I still have 'em all.
It's all good. Real good!
I imagine that someday, a forum member will hit the Lotto and we'll hear about it. This was my version of doing the same, along with the other developments in my life the last few years (mostly Eve, mostly). To feel any less blessed would be downright selfish.
Thank you all for the well wishes. Stay safe and grateful for your own blessings, and remember Eve's sig from her email account- "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
