Message #339896

[cur-dog]

I have read through this and I agree and disagree with alot of yalls statements.  I have worked in the fire service for fifteen years and have seen alot of changes.  I'll agree with Reuben I'ts the 2nd and 3rd generation that seems to be taking advantage of the "system".  I took my 3 year old son to the ER the other day and had to sit for 5 hours to get his chin sewn up.  The waiting room is full of "sick" patients, and now they have learned that if they call the ambulance they get admitted right in and get their meds and get out alot faster than driving themselves.  It's not just illegals that do this though, it's every race.  But they are adding to the problem.  A good friend of mine was talking to a farm hand one day and the hand ask him why he only had two kids.  He half jokingly said I only have two because they are so expensive.  At the time he was self employed and paying for his on insurance.  The farm hand ask really, how much did they cost you?  He told him $5000 or whatever the amount was and he said the hand looked at him funny and said really, my five didn't cost me anything.  The "theory" of the uninsured not being able to get medical care, is just that, a theory.  They go to the ER or get a ride via ambulance and it doesn't cost them a thing.  This is just one problem that I have personal experience with. 

Oh and to you anti-union folks I'm a card carrying union member.  I don't always agree with some of the suggestions that come down from the top, but for the most part they lobby for better equipment and regulations to make our job safer and more effective.  On a local level we have funds that pay people to work for you if you become injured or sick and run out of sick time.  We support each other and work for better working conditions with our city.  Last but not least as an IAFF member we CANNOT STRIKE, which is an union's main bargaining tool.  The media likes to group all unions together, and they are not all the same.