All Wildfire Fighters Should Be Federal Employees With Full Benefits And Pensions.

[TheMastersNemesis]

Contracting should be banned unless it guarantees catastrophic insurance for permanent injury or death.

[Arctic Dave]

1. What about State Wildland Firefighters?

Should they move the Federal level?

[TheMastersNemesis]

4. Wildfire Firefighters Should Have Public Employee Status With Rights

Barring that private companies should be bonded to provide life or disability insurance for catastrophic injury or death. To leave the families of these people so exposed economically is rally immoral. Fighting wildfires is the most dangerous and physically exhausting work there is.

If we cannot provide basic protections for these people then let the shit burn. Getting yourself killed to protect some of these rich bastards is not worth it. They don't like government, want people to serve them for nothing. It is despicable arrogant and unacceptable.

[Cerridwen]

9. Yes.

The federal ("evil&quot gov't has the resources needed (if properly funded) to take on wildfires that don't give a shit about state or national borders.

No fire should get out of hand because the resources were limited to one state or crew.

Fire doesn't care if you're from Nevada or Alabama or Massachusetts.

Neither should the "resources" that fight the same.

[pscot]

2. Insurance companies are hiring privet

fire companies to protect the homes of the rich and famous. They don't want to have to pay off on Ahnold's Sun Valley vacation chalet.

[Historic NY]

3. They are covered...........

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/firefighter_health_safety/firefighter-fatalities/reports/criteria.shtm

Under this definition, the study includes not only local and municipal firefighters but also seasonal and full-time employees of the United States Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and State wildland agencies. The definition also includes prison inmates serving on fire fighting crews; firefighters employed by other governmental agencies, such as the United States Department of Energy; military personnel performing assigned fire suppression activities; and civilian firefighters working at military installations.


http://benefits.firehero.org/federal.html#wildland

http://benefits.firehero.org/HH_Guide.pdf

[Cerridwen]

5. If they're permanent. If they're "seasonal" they're not.

Many are now hired as "seasonal."

It's the fed gov't's version of temp.

[Historic NY]

6. Read it again seasonals are covered along with volunteers..

If someone tells you otherwise then there either not aware or don't know how to file a claim. Its best to get a local representative involved along with a congress critter or a fire service lawyer.

[Cerridwen]

7. I work with them. They are not covered I don't care what

that dotted-is and crossed-ts say. I made a point of asking.

They are not covered full-time.

Nor are they covered for sleeping 24/7 at the site of a fire; no overtime. 24/7 on-site and they are paid shift work.

During the off-season we try to keep them employed doing "shit work."

[Historic NY]

8. I'm talking about disability or LOD death....not pay or pension.

[Cerridwen]

10. I was replying to "full benefits and pensions."

They don't get that and they should.