Some years ago I was watching one of those “reality 911” shows that were popular at the time. Anyway, some boys, three I think, were playing in a river and got swept down into an eddy and were drowning because they couldn’t get out. Some old dude jumped in and swan to then and pushed each one out of the eddy so they were able to get to shore. Problem was, the man got so exhausted that he couldn’t swim out himself and he drowned.
He was hailed as a hero, but his family lost their father, husband, and provider. Tough luck, you see.
Not so for professionals. That’s “the difference” I see.
What is your solution to this? Perhaps you could found a “Heroes Charity” that would support the surviving families of good samaritans, if one doesn’t exist already. I think that would be a wonderful use of your time and concern for these individuals and their families.
In the meantime, police and firefighters will continue to honor their own lost in the line of duty, to include survivor benefits and support networks where possible/available. And many-- most-- of the public will honor them when they lose their lives in the line of duty, and respect the grief of their families.
I think a good use of your time would be to go back and read the OP. No where did I suggest that the overwhelming support of the professional’s families was a bad thing. Quite the opposite.
I do wonder at the lack of support for the families of workers in other jobs, but I’ve come to think that maybe it’s at least partially due to the great number of cops and firefighters, and the relative scarcity of death in their ranks.
And tv.
Just wanted to share this, as it pertains to the discussion:
The cops and firemen also have life insurance. But when a cop or fireman dies a public fund is set up to help the family outside of insurance. But we do not help the familys of servicemen we just let the insurance cover it.
My gun toting friend found this for me.
I’ve only scanned it, but it does reflect what I meant in my quoted statement.
Peace,
mangeorge
Do you have a cite for that? I know it’s your line of work and all- just want to see the numbers.
Fishermen or loggers dying may be tragic to their families, but there’s nothing heroic about it. They aren’t putting themselves in danger to help anybody. They’re just raping the environment out of personal greed. Sometimes the environment wins. That’s Darwinism in action.
Fishers and loggers have no choice in doing their jobs. If they don’t fish and log, they’re not fishers and loggers.
Police and firefighters have no choice in doing their jobs. If they don’t police and firefight, they’re not police and firefighters.
It’s essentially the same thing, people doing their jobs. It’s just that fishers and loggers pay a much higher price.
If a fisher or a logger encounter a situation where they need to put their own well being in peril to save anothers, they will.
Effect on the environment is another matter.
http://www.uaw.org/hs/00/ Factory and auto workers die on the job. Rough, dirty and sometimes dangerous work. They need to work cheaper.
Fishing and logging are entirely self-serving occupations. Law enforcement, firefigters and the military are occupations which serve to protect others. Both kinds of occupations are choices (I don’t get what you mean by saying loggers and fisherment don’t choose to log and fish. Of course they do). It seems pretty obvious that somebody who dies in battle, or from a fire fight with bank robbers or from trying to get people out of a tower that just got bombed by a hijacked airliner desreves more respect than some redneck who fell off a boat trying to poach a few crabs.
I didn’t say that. Of course you don’t get it.
What’s with the hate on loggers and fisherman? Isn’t it noble to work in the only line of business you know to make a better life for your family?
Not if you’re raping the environment. And no, there’s nothing especially virtuous about working for material gain. There’s certainly nothing heroic about dying for it.
I work for a huge international oil company, #3 I think.
Will You Join Us? 
And you, what do you do?
Of course you don’t have to answer.
Except the vast majority perform their jobs without managing to do so. I’ve done logging and I sleep just fine at night. But it’s a hijack from the point of this thread so I’ll move on.
No thanks
I do in-home services for disabled people. That ok with you?
Okay. Just offering an opportunity to help.
Of course it’s okay with me. I’m sure they appreciate it.
I’m not the one running down people’s occupations, eh! I’m the socialist who sees value in most all jobs.
The seafood bit, I guess one could do without. And I don’t know for sure if the by-products are neccessary. But I can’t imagine getting along without any wood or petroleum products at all.
Oh yeah. Not exactky lumberjacks, but those nasty farm workers rape the hell out of California’s central alley getting us our yummy tomatoes.
California’s Central Valley was once a prairie.
You’re welcome. 