Should have kept your voice down.
Next thing you know you and your friend are surrounded by a screaming, drunk, steroid inflated, crew of heroes getting very loud and repeatedly violating your personal space. There are three at first and then four more come up to "show support." The band of New York's bravest are so close your face is getting moist with foul smelling spray saliva. They are informing you that you're a punk, a pussy, a piece of sh-t.
The bar owner who has a nose for when things are about to get out of hand decides to call the cops even though the first rule of bar ownership is never call the cops.
He might have mentioned intoxicated firemen, because three cops arrive in record time. They start calming the furious firefighters and getting between them and you and your friend. One of the largest heroes keeps craning his neck to look at you over the shoulder of the cop that's restraining him to say things like "you're fu*kin' lucky punk, I would have broke your fu*kin' neck for you!"
Eventually, the heroes decide to leave as a group after draining some complimentary beers.
On his way out, satisfied that things are under control, the head cop turns to the bar owner and says "You know what? I should really arrest these two jerk-offs, (referring to you and your terrified friend) those guys risk their lives every day and what do they get? Nothing!"
Hmmm...The heroes get Nothing?
Well, not exactly. While it is no doubt rougher for beginning heroes, the average salary in the NYFD last year was $94,571.00...not counting fringe benefits. The value of those benefits like family health insurance, paid sick leave etc. comes to $33,793.00 per hero. At least if the 2010 New York City budget is to be believed.
Additionally, after 20 years of heroism, they can retire at 50% of their last year's pay. And if they have disabilities which 72% of them manage to have, they retire at 75% -tax free. Interestingly most of those those disabled heroes are just able to work a significant amount of overtime on their final year despite their worsening disabilities.
That last burst of heroism pays off, according to this year's official reckoning the taxpayers of New York City paid $58,841.90 in pension commitments to retired firemen for every firefighter still on the job. The most of any group of City employees.
Next thing you know you and your friend are surrounded by a screaming, drunk, steroid inflated, crew of heroes getting very loud and repeatedly violating your personal space. There are three at first and then four more come up to "show support." The band of New York's bravest are so close your face is getting moist with foul smelling spray saliva. They are informing you that you're a punk, a pussy, a piece of sh-t.
The bar owner who has a nose for when things are about to get out of hand decides to call the cops even though the first rule of bar ownership is never call the cops.
He might have mentioned intoxicated firemen, because three cops arrive in record time. They start calming the furious firefighters and getting between them and you and your friend. One of the largest heroes keeps craning his neck to look at you over the shoulder of the cop that's restraining him to say things like "you're fu*kin' lucky punk, I would have broke your fu*kin' neck for you!"
Eventually, the heroes decide to leave as a group after draining some complimentary beers.
On his way out, satisfied that things are under control, the head cop turns to the bar owner and says "You know what? I should really arrest these two jerk-offs, (referring to you and your terrified friend) those guys risk their lives every day and what do they get? Nothing!"
Hmmm...The heroes get Nothing?
Well, not exactly. While it is no doubt rougher for beginning heroes, the average salary in the NYFD last year was $94,571.00...not counting fringe benefits. The value of those benefits like family health insurance, paid sick leave etc. comes to $33,793.00 per hero. At least if the 2010 New York City budget is to be believed.
Additionally, after 20 years of heroism, they can retire at 50% of their last year's pay. And if they have disabilities which 72% of them manage to have, they retire at 75% -tax free. Interestingly most of those those disabled heroes are just able to work a significant amount of overtime on their final year despite their worsening disabilities.
That last burst of heroism pays off, according to this year's official reckoning the taxpayers of New York City paid $58,841.90 in pension commitments to retired firemen for every firefighter still on the job. The most of any group of City employees.
