Funeral Coverage
Maybe those defined-benefit pensions aren't so lavish after all.
Maybe there are some jobs so dangerous, so demanding of steady nerves and sound judgment under pressure, that the men and women who work them deserve the benefit of our doubts.
Even when times are tough, even when most of us can only wish we could retire at age 50 with 75 percent of pay, maybe we should take a deep breath, dial down the envy, and just say: "Thanks, guys. You deserve every penny."
Chicago firefighters Edward Stringer and Corey Ankum will never get to enjoy their retirements or their defined-benefit pensions. Their lives were cut short last Wednesday morning after they dashed into a fire-compromised building on the South Side to look for survivors, only to become victims themselves when a truss roof collapsed. More than a dozen other firemen were injured, two seriously.
Labels: fire fighters, pension
posted by SCC at 12:03 AM
13 Comments:
The cfd has always been there in our time of mourning.
It's time to repay their respect.
Good to see so many brothers in blue at the funeral
If anyone goes online and checks old Chicago police star issues from 60s, 70s and 80s look up the in memoriam section. What you'll see is that officers were dieing of natural causes in their late forties and early fifties, never getting a chance to even enjoy retirement.
Id guess that we have a better life expectancy today, but still not close to national average. Bad eating habits, smoking and unfortunately drinking contributes to this but I would guess stress is a major contributor. Job stress dealing with the unknown, dealing with political hack bosses, making time for family between going to court and trying to get a couple hours of sleep to do the whole cycle again.
Getting a decent pension really isn't asking much.
It's about time someone says what we've known all along. Most of you don't want to do these jobs and are happy that there are the few of us that will do these jobs. A burning building is not something most of us would go into. A domestic where the drunken partner is angry, unco-operative and just ready to fight isn't the type of thing most of us want to do. Especially with the verbal abuse we take and then the physical combat that ensues, where the only rules are the ones we must follow. And then the dog tries to sue you.
I could go on and on, but I'm preaching to the choir, many of you have more tales of woe to relate than I ever will.
You were right SCC, those comments weren't worth reading
The pension is the only reason to come on this stupid job when you're young.
Take that away and you're going to have a whole bunch of bitter motherfuckers on your hands.
Your new hires will most likely be a bunch of psychotic, thieving, new breed sadistic cocksuckers who will make Tony Montana look like a pussy. Daley Inc. thinks cameras, etc.. will keep these maniacs honest, yeah right.
Hey, L.M. over at the Civic Federation! Why don't you stay in Oak Park where you live and fuck with the police pensions there?
The reality of it all is, is that America is on track to becoming another France. Once a world leader but now just one of the pack.
As the US continues to send jobs overseas, allow lopsided trade to continue, manufacture nothing other than mediocre cars, the only thing left is becoming a giant socialist welfare state. Of course this is what the democratic party dreams of. All employment being provided by government.
So the building tidal wave of resentment toward our pension, that we have worked 20-30 years to secure, will doom us to a pension that will be a shadow of what it once was. While the elected officials continue with their multiple and more generous pensions which require no more than holding office for a term or two. While the public is cared for by the same cruipt politicians.
I for one will do what it takes to provide for and protect my family. Having been the police we do have the ability to survive where the hatters have to call and reli on others for their survival.
Read the comments and you will realize that we need to do some damage control with our reputation.
After a steady diet of that idiot Abbate's video and the like, the public hates us. The press has demonized us for too long and the citizens have bought into it.
Even the President has time to make a phone call on Michael Vick's behalf, but can't be bothered to make the Police Memorial in Washington DC.
Hats off to another top notch department in America.
Check this out on the NYPD NYFD ice hockey page. Thank you brothers.
RIP
http://www.fdnyhockey.com/
So true about the online comments SCC... They're enough to make you wear a mouth-piece while you're sleeping just to keep from grinding your teeth to a powder in anger.
We wonder...
Since the public has such disdain for those charged with fighting fires and enforcing laws, why not just offer the object of your ire a lump sum to go away?
On the surface it sounds like sacrilege and crazy talk but given the current state of affairs.
Then they can have the joy and pleasure of CPD rebooted to that which they so fervently wish it to be...
When ALL of the cumulative institutional knowledge, savvy and "how to it" gets up and walks away, the people will be happy and rejoice.
There will be an exodus of people not unlike biblical times.
The few upright tax payers will leave Chicago to let it collapse under the weight of the catered to constituency.
The catered to constituency will be running from door to door trying to earn the bounty surely to be placed on each living tax payer they find and turn over to Daley Inc.
The F10 tornado of flames, shit, debris and unburied dead will whirl through what's left of this place unabated...
The public will never let The Police have their "Mojo" back... If they did, The Police MUST exact some iron-clad protections and the like. Shut up that nonsense about The Police being so "out of control." That was just a convenient contrivance to drive the anti-Police propaganda campaign currently being played out.
Now, if we could just strangle the ugly baby known as "clout" there would be less interference, less promotional exam fuckery and less disciplinary fuckery predicated on who fucked/blew/got fucked by/got sucked by/gave birth to/was a bag-man for/is next door neighbors to whom!
Now if you catch a gold star in a compromised position? Well... That changes things a bit! Then why not exploit that for your own personal gain?
No sympathy from us for the gold star...
Just be sure you have copies... Just sayin'!
My dad is a retired CPD detective. After hearing his stories and working with his medical issues, you guys deserve every bit of pension you receive. He has bad knees from breaking his legs during two squad car accidents on duty, an old shoulder injury from getting it dislocated breaking up a fight, and other medical issues over the years.
Bankers, insurance salesmen, etc. may not be able to retire at 50, but they don't spend the last 25 or 30 years after retiring dealing with old injuries, illnesses, etc. they received while work.
Yikes SCC, dido on the comments. I did however like the rebuttals, which offered counterpoints which in my mind made a lot more sense. Needless to say I feel that now more than ever all the city union representatives need to meet and in the following election make our voices heard as one. We all have a lot to loose, and if we can't stand united divided we will fall. We need to show candidates that if they are in favor of absolving our pension then they are not right for Chicago. We need a Mayor that will work through the problem and not go around it. UNITE!!!!
E.B.V
I would guess that the nay-sayers dont think about cutting pensions when they are screaming at 911 for help.
CPD or CFD or for that matter any police officer or fire fighter: Sometimes,it looks like we're stealing from the public; most of the time we earn our money; and the rest of the time, there just isn't enough money in the world to do what we do.
I'm tired of bagpipes and the black elastic bands. Be safe.
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