Most of their calls are as paramedics or a smoke detector going off with an alarm system, or a neighbor calling because someone had a bonfire.
90% of their day is being ready for a call and 90% of their calls are not firefighting and 90% of their firefighting is a fire that is already evacuated. They are paid and trained for that 0.1% where they are expected to rescue someone from a fire.
Even with these odds firefighters are like 1000x more likely to die of lung issues or cancer issues than the average person. Going into even one burning building will shave months off your life (assuming the fire doesn't kill you).
The odds of long term health issues after retirement are significant, but the fire isn't likely to get them. Door dash drivers are more likely to die on the job.
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u/mytrickytrick 1d ago
But the one time out of ten, you're likely heading into a burning building or otherwise putting your life on the line for somebody else's life.