[TriggerHappy]

Thats a bunch of bullspit if you ask me when was the last time a taxi driver came to the rescue of someone in a burning building
Trigger

[-MAD- SARGE]

A hero is defined in my book as someone who risks their life inorder to save another. I dont see how a taxi diver on average is a hero.

[Screwloose]

You ever fight traffic in LA . . .

[KamikazeSM]

I think the point of the article is that the heroic situations that the movies and TV shows stereotype aren't as common as entertainment would have you believe.  His point was that firefighters shouldn't be considered heroes for just going to their job.  On the flip side, he does say that they're definitely heroes when they do put their lives on the line.  However, the point is that nowadays, on average, they're really not putting their lives on the line to save people from fires very much since the raging "4 alarm fires" that movies depict don't really happen.  For me personally, I've seen fire figthers serving many functions that are helpful, but I can only recall maybe one or 2 actual fires that I've seen fought and, due to modern smoke dectectors, most people get out safe in the event of a fire, thus no one's life is on the line.  His point about firefighters getting outsourced to other jobs is very true, sometimes even to SWAT teams (which is very time intensive, which makes you think about how much firefighting actually happens anymore).  In no way am I suggesting that firefighters are vestigial or wimps, but I don't think the heroic situations come up as much now.  And his point about the WTC's was pretty true also: though they died heroically saving people, I don't think most of them knew the danger of the building collapsing and if it was a chain of command error is disseminating that information, then that's a lot of heroes that should still be alive today.

[yellowmonkey]

One of my dad's best friends is a fire fighter and not to demean him, but he's only a normal guy, not a hero. My dad said that they used to call him "select-a-call" becasue he never wanted to go out on any hard calls. I've heard plenty about firefighting. It's nothing special.

Firefighters are only people trying to make a living and personally, I don't think it's much more dignified than driving a cab. I respect the man who does his job and does it well. All the points made in the article are valid, there's no reason to take offense to them (unless it crushes your childhood dreams []).

[HavHav]

I'm not taking offense. Just note that it claims that fire fighters are adrenaline junkies, etc.

Nick, yes. Most of these movies are complete crap. Yes, just about every fire fighter claims to not be a hero even though just about every one is willing to give up their life. Its a job, a very risky one at that, a job which some people arn't willing to do.

[IcePlatinumSky]

Firefighters are only people trying to make a living and personally, I don't think it's much more dignified than driving a cab. I respect the man who does his job and does it well. All the points made in the article are valid, there's no reason to take offense to them (unless it crushes your childhood dreams []).
[/quote]

Sounds like your dads friend needs a new line of work!!! But I do take offense to this, saying that it just another job. Granted there are many ways of looking at how a job could be dignifiying. I am in the GCC Fire Academy so I am not a Fire Fighter just yet. However, the chiefs, Captains, ect. that I am surrouded by are very passionet about there line of work, and belive in helping others in need. Weather its a stubed toe or a structure fire they are ready to be there. I my self am going into this line of work to surve others. This is my calling, and my God given purpose, and I will help those in need. I am not doing this for the money and nor are they. Are they hero's? I my opinion "yes"!!! Ask them if they are hero's they will respond "NO" They are there to help others!!!!!

[Crash Bandicoot]

Well any one can sit around and say fire fighters are not heroes. God help you if you are stuck in a burning house and hope a taxi driver will save you. Not every fire fighter may be a hero, but they deserve more respect.

[yellowmonkey]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by IcePlatinumSky</i>
<br />
Firefighters are only people trying to make a living and personally, I don't think it's much more dignified than driving a cab. I respect the man who does his job and does it well. All the points made in the article are valid, there's no reason to take offense to them (unless it crushes your childhood dreams []).
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Sounds like your dads friend needs a new line of work!!! But I do take offense to this, saying that it just another job. Granted there are many ways of looking at how a job could be dignifiying. I am in the GCC Fire Academy so I am not a Fire Fighter just yet. However, the chiefs, Captains, ect. that I am surrouded by are very passionet about there line of work, and belive in helping others in need. Weather its a stubed toe or a structure fire they are ready to be there. I my self am going into this line of work to surve others. This is my calling, and my God given purpose, and I will help those in need. I am not doing this for the money and nor are they. Are they hero's? I my opinion "yes"!!! Ask them if they are hero's they will respond "NO" They are there to help others!!!!!
[/quote]
Heh, my dad's friend did end up getting suspended... now he's a captain, go figure; nice guy though.

I'm not saying that you should disrespect fire fighters, I'm just saying that they are an over-glorified union. I really respect the compassion that fire fighters have for the medical aspect of their work, that takes skill.

GCC = Glendale Community College or Gateway? I didn't know that any CC's here in the Valley had fire fighting programs.

[HavHav]

Mesa Community College has an extensive Fire Fighting program, that offers a wide range of classes. They even run their own Academy through it. I know a few classes are held at different campuses throughout the valley as well.

[HavHav]

http://slate.msn.com/id/2090573/

Read this pricks article. Saying how taxi drivers are killed more than fire fighters. No offense, but taxi drivers dont become that to help protect life and property, and usually are killed by some druggie or nut case. Fire fighters KNOW that they could easily be killed. They die from heart attacks, falls, etc.

Yes they are human, but some of them have a mindset of a robot. They wont leave that building until everyone else is out. They are so determined to find that person who might be in there and are more concerned with their saftey than they are their own. Guy sounds like an asshole. Just wait till his house catches on fire. Bet he sure wants a hero then. Dickweed.