Hey gssempire, The life expectancy after a firefighter retires is 5 years on average due to the fact that they work in a high stress environment and often go 48 hours without sleep. This is horrible for your body over the lifetime of their careers. They may not have had to to go to college for years and years at a time but they risk they're lives and definately shorten their lifespan. Don't you think that deserves compensation? Not to mention, they pass an academy that demands a competency and performance not many can demonstrate. I wouldn't be surprised if you are one of these individuals. Try not to be an idiot!