Tuesday I will shine my shoes and pack a bag. To Boston I am bound as a representative of our State Association, the PFANJ, at the funerals of Boston FD Brothers Walsh and Kennedy. I have done this too many times before. Every time the alarm is sounded,the box is transmitted it brings with it the threat of serious injury or death. Thousands of times a day across this great nation of ours this scene is played out and far too often the results are catastrophic. Unfortunately its a numbers game. The more you do it the more your odds increase. After 32 years in the NFD I count myself lucky, no serious injuries to me or anyone I supervised. I cannot say that about others with whom I served, Halpin, DeLane, Reddick, Murray, McCarthy to name just a few who paid the ultimate price along with literally thousands of injuries of varying degrees. But still the bell rings, the call is answered and I wonder what did we do? What did we do to forfeit the right to collectively bargain with our employer, what did we do to forfeit a secure retirement? How did we earn the wrath and ire of our leaders and fellow citizens when all we did was willingly take part in that numbers game? How long can you ask someone to roll the dice? How do you compensate those who do? There has to come an end point with security earned for a lifetime of service whose costs are borne out by the blood of our brothers and sisters. There has to be a reasonable means by which our needs are met with those who take the risks as full participants in those deliberations. We owe it to the lost to continue the struggle and in their name we will not rest. So once again I will shine my shoes and pack a bag to pay homage to my fallen brothers. I hope it will be the last time but I know it will not.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Mar 2014 12:11:43 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015