Melissa Says: Firemen Suck!
I'm presenting this story verbatim from the NOLA web site. It tells one woman's horrific encounter with a group of firemen during the worst of Hurricane Katrina. While this story played out in St. Bernard parish, the lessons about the lying, cheating, stealing, and worse by so called "public servants" could apply anywhere in America. Just because someone wears a uniform doesn't make them a "hero," contrary to the crap dispensed to delude unthinking, gullible Americans after 9/11.
Melissa's story: Escape from Arabi
Melissa Sass of Arabi writes:
My husband and I stayed behind in our home in Arabi with 3 dogs. We were fine until the final hours of the storm. That's when the water came in. We went up in the attic, hacked a hole in the roof, and hoisted the dogs out first due to the fact that the water would saturate the ceiling and they would fall through.After the storm, we went out on the roof and waited to be rescued. About 9 hours later, a man named Jigger in a boat came by and saved us. We saved several other families that night. He brought us to the levee and told us to go to the Domino Sugar Refinery, they are using it as a shelter.
It was too dark to go to the refinery and they had standing water. I knocked on a door and a man let my husband and I sleep on his balcony on the second floor. The next day, we walked to the refinery and waited several hours to get in. An employee of the refinery brought us in by bulldozer through the water. Once in, we saw there was about 100 people there, pets and people.
There was about 25 firemen from the St. Bernard Fire Department. They were awful. The fought all the time, they yelled about how they didn't want to share the food and water with us. It wasn't until the chief came in that they changed their tunes. He calmed them down and rationalized.
But still, some firemen were still horrible to the survivors. They were taking showers and not telling people where the showers were. They kept all the food and water by them, so if you was thirsty or hungry, you needed to go and ask them for something, and when you did, they acted so mean. People started to leave to the Superdome and to the West Bank on buses and boats.
About four days there, the firemen left. They took ALL the food and water with them. In order to get any food/water, while they were loading up, you had to go and take the food and water from them! They didn't even offer to take anyone with them. People asked to go, but they stated that there was no more room for anyone.
After the firemen left, it was peaceful. No one fought, no one was on edge. A day later, some firemen came back for the food and water that was left behind. People at the refinery fought for it and won the battle. Nothing physical, but very verbal. The firemen had guns, but that didn't change the way others felt, that was our livelihood!
On Saturday, my husband and I (with one dog left, one jumped out the boat as we were being taken off the roof, and one ran away) boarded a tug boat and was brought to St. Charles Parish where we were greated by the nicest police officers ever! We met our family there and now we are trying to get our lives together. Link
posted by Ronald M. Ayers @ 9:59 PM
13 comments
13 Comments:
I honestly can't say I was surprised when I read this article; horrified, yes, but I once read a quote somewhere that said, "When trouble grows, your character shows."
Having never been in a situation like those caught in Katrina, I can't say what I'd do, but nothing condones the actions of the firefighters. I hope action will be taken to prevent something like this from happening in future disasters.
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I read your story with no suprise. The Firefighters in this Country are nothing but common thugs. They are all humble and putting on a good show when they are getting what they want, but the minute they don't, they turn into the a-holes they are. I have seen FireFighter Paramedics litterally KILL prople because they thought the patient didn't merit their godly prescence. We have all seen them ride the glory of 911, even though that was determined to be a monumental fuck-up by the FD.
Well... don't get me started. Best thing you can do is spread the word and get these egotistical ass holes knocked down where they belong.
I have first hand knowledge of firefighters having been married to one for almost 20 years (big city f.d.). They have huge egos, entitlement issues, cheat on everything and everyone, AND except for the rare fire/emergency response, sit around most of the time. They receive ridiculous pay and/or benefits for their efforts. The bottom line, is they are only people, not necessarily the most intelligent or most capable (many do not have any higher education) AND we (the taxpaying public) put them on pedestals and believe all the b.s. the media feeds us. Yes, there were some hardworking, honest firefighters over the 20 years I was acquainted with the service, but they were few and far inbetween. Sorry to burst your bubble people, but that's the truth....and in case you are thinking "oh, sounds like a divorced _itch, etc."...we are still married, very happy, friendly terms, etc., but the truth is the truth...straight from my husband's (high ranking officer) mouth and from more than 34 years experience on his part.
unfortunately, firemen are put on big pedestals and they know it...they treat people like crap and yes, maybe there are some that deserve that pedestal, but very few.
hehe this site is kind of like the following site: firemensuck.com
My name is Melissa Sass and that is my story. I think it's cool you put my story on your blog. e-mail me if you have anything you'd like to talk about. melissasass@hotmail.com
First off, there is no excuse for the actions of the fireman. They completely out of line and I truly hope they were punished for it. But, i am a volunteer fireman and wildland fireman. For those of you that say that fireman are nothing but ego-maniacs, its life, there is always going to to be eg-maniacs anywhere. Dont let a few fuck heads define the entire fire service. Also, I have been involved in the fire service for 15 years and have only come across a few bad apples who are rude to people. Once again, its life. Not everyone is what they should be. Also, sitting around only happens at night during personal time just as anyone else would on ther regular day. If you expect a firemant to be up doing something for an entire 24 hour shift, dont expect them to be fresh and ready for when your house lights up. and most of all for me being a volunteer fireman, i wake up at 3am for house fires, cardiac arrests and even just lifting assists. After that is all over, my ass still goes to work that day. I might even miss time at work which then means i lose money. I dont mind that because i am doing it for people like you! Why? because i care. If i didnt care about people, and just wanted to be seen as a hero, i would find a hell of a lot easier way to do it. In other words, dont let a few assholes give you the overall image of the fire department. because one day you might be counting on us.
To "anonomous"...
Just curious, you said that there are other things you would do if you only wanted to be seen as a "hero". What exactly would that be?
There are 3 types of firements, those that never got out of highschool and need to be a paid hero, those that do it for the excessive fringe and state benefits and starting pay and those that do it to make a difference. Unfortunately, the vast minority are for the 3rd reason and the vast majority are those that want the lucrative benefits (suck off the system) and have a need to be a "hero".
I have a hard time classifying anybody a hero if they are paid and required to do what they do! A hero is someone who "voluntarily" (instinctively) places his/her life in danger for another. Police, firemen and rescue workers do not do this "voluntarily". If they do not perform the duty for which they are handsomely compensated for, then they can be prosecuted. So to classify anyone who is "paid" to rescue others is simple bullshit!
There has been zero fatalities for firement in Ventura County, California in over 15 years. How dangerous can the job be! Are these guys who earn triple to 4 times pay during major fire situations, whi literally sit around most of the time really heroes? I think not. Just overpaid traffic control.
Suck off the system? are you retarded? how much do you really know about full time fire departments? Do full time fireman get paid? you are damn right. If a city has a full time fire department, it is because the city has a high volume of fire, ems and emergency calls a year. If you expect fireman to be strictly volunteer in cities like that, then how do they pay their bills? how do they work if they have to constantly leave work for an emergency call? btw, im a wildland fireman and i only get paid $10 hour. major fire or not. is that really your triple pay? also about venura county fireman not being killed on duty in 15 years? GOOD! that is a good thing you fucking idiot. get a life seriously. I was once caught in a burn over in Montana 3 years ago trying to protect someones house. So judgeing from the burn scars on my arms and up my left side, it is a lot more dangerous then your little ignorant mind can understand. the next time you post something against police, fireman or rescue workers do a little research first.
"There are 3 types of firements, those that never got out of highschool and need to be a paid hero, those that do it for the excessive fringe and state benefits and starting pay and those that do it to make a difference. Unfortunately, the vast minority are for the 3rd reason and the vast majority are those that want the lucrative benefits (suck off the system) and have a need to be a "hero"."
85% of fire departments in the United States are VOLUNTEER.
That means no paycheck.
One "story" does not "the truth" reveal. There were certainly a lot of disgruntled people following Katrina, and a number of stories started circulating regarding inaction or even criminal actions by public safety personnel in the storm ravaged areas. I wasn't there. I can't say where the whole truth is in all of this. Of course, neither were most of you. So... neither can you. I've worked in the fire service 21 years now. I've been exposed to firefighters that entire time. I simply cannot comprehend the alleged actions claimed here. Granted people are people and there are good and bad apples in any barrel... but on the whole this is a very honor oriented group and the thought that many are merely thugs is utterly silly.
This is absolutely rediculous! My husband serves for the local fire dept, and busts his hump on a daily basis simply for the satisfaction of helping others. As for some of you a-holes who seem to be under the impression that firefighters are overpaid, where are you getting your information? Firemen the world over are underpaid and under-appreciated! I'd like to know how many of you who are so quick to judge and ridicule would be willing to risk your lives on a daily basis. If my husband ran across anyone of you in a bad situation, he would lend a hand and do whatever was needed, not for praise, certainly not for pay or benefits, but because it is what is right. I am so heated at the ignorant comments made on this page, I really am surprised to see such closed mindedness in this great country. Do you assume that just because Fireman, police, and EMS are not dying daily that it's not an important and dangerous job? It simply means they are doing the job the exact way they need to. "Riding the coat tails of 9/11"...are you serious? How dare you blame the FD for 9/11! Those men gave their lives to help those victims in desperate times of need. As for you morons who think firefighters and EMT go out of their way to kill people who "don't desrve thir Godly presence", you simply are too ignorant to deserve any response, you are pathetic!
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