NJFMBA Firefighter Facts
Filed under: Firefighters Facts
- Life expectancy of firefighters after retirement is approx. 6 years (USA TODAY)
- Firefighters, not eligible for full social security (40%)
- Firefighters in NJ pay as much as 15,000.00 annually into PFRS (8.5%)
- NJ Firefighters have never, ever, missed their pension payments
- NJ Firefighters contribute twice to Pension, As members and as taxpayers as well
- Firefighters in New Jersey are already working dangerously understaffed in every community in New Jersey.
- Average salary for Firefighters in New Jersey is $56,000.00 . Most take 7 to 10 years to reach top pay.
- Most firefighters take significant pay cuts for the first 5 years of career
- Firefighters across the State have made major concessions at bargaining table 0% increases for one or more years (2009,2010, 2011)
- Health benefit co-pays (1.5% State mandated, in addition too)
- State Government has failed to fund pension obligations 8 consecutive years
- Governor Christie failed to fund pension since elected.
- Firefighting is young man’s job
- Large $ sick leave payouts are mostly political rewards to management
- Sick leave incentive is management gimmick to cheaply staff dept.
- 24/72 hr. shift = 3 (8) hr days private sector
- Firefighters work longest work week of any public employee (42 hrs)
- Firefighters work nights, weekends, all major holidays for straight time. (including Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, away from family)
- Firefighters are 10 to 100 times more likely to suffer heart attack (NEJM)
- Firefighters are 10 to 30 times more likely to suffer from lung disease, cancer (every type), diabetes, blood borne pathogens, flu strains, back injuries, knees, hips, broken bones, hearing loss, loss of taste, sense of smell, infections due to cuts, bruises, etc..
- Firefighters exposed to, and suffer physical, emotional and mental stress from witnessing the following; homelessness, poverty, domestic violence, child abuse, drug abuse, alcoholism, sexual abuse, violent death and serious injury, suicide, mental illness and man inhumanity to man.
- As a result, Firefighters families are greatly impacted
- Separation from loved ones on special days and occasions, holidays, birthdays, little league games, dance recitals etc..
- Stress from job, spills over at home High rate of Divorce, approx. 75% nationwide (Portia Rawles, Psy.D., Disruption of home life