900 unvaccinated DC firefighters could lose their jobs Sept 30

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So why exactly are so many fire fighters refusing to be vaccinated? Is it because they're Republican?

In DC ??

No, not a chance.

Most don't live anywhere near DC. My cousin is a retired firefighter. He lives in Stafford, VA. His colleagues lived in W. Virginia, Fredricksburg, etc. They do 3 day shifts so it's easy to live really far.

Their shifts are 24-hours, not 72.

NP but firefighters I know will trade shifts to get two or three days in a row and then have five or six days off. My cousin moved shifts around so much he had two weeks off without taking a day of vacation. And except for my cousin all the firefighters I know live at least an hour for their respective city. Several live two hours away.

Exactly. My cousin is a DC firefighter (he's vaccinated) and he lives in Culpeper, VA. He always swaps shifts to cluster his days together so he isn't doing the commute more than twice a week.

He makes enough that his wife doesn't have to work and they live in a house much larger than mine (5 bedrooms, 5.5 bath, 6 acres) that cost 1/4 the price of mine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's really insane that so many 1st responders across this country are unvaccinated. I think it really speaks to the (undiagnosed) PTSD related to their jobs and how they need dehumanize even themselves to cope with the stress and gore.

These guys will wear protective equipment when they take a call. The vaccine is simply another piece of equipment in your locker to help you get home safely to your family.

Why are so many nurses and nursing home workers unvaccinated? They are at the front lines and seeing all this, and still they don't want the vaccine?

Nurse here. You should see all my coworkers who get into multi-level marketing. They are easily influenced by smooth talkers who promise riches through Avon. Or they once had some reaction 27 years ago to a flu vaccine and have declared that they are allergic to ALL vaccines.

Nailed it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So why exactly are so many fire fighters refusing to be vaccinated? Is it because they're Republican?

In DC ??

No, not a chance.

Most don't live anywhere near DC. My cousin is a retired firefighter. He lives in Stafford, VA. His colleagues lived in W. Virginia, Fredricksburg, etc. They do 3 day shifts so it's easy to live really far.

+1...it is part of the housing affordability issue. The royal 'we" really need to do something that ensures our first responders, teachers etc can live in DC proper.

completely disagree. it's fine for moderate-income workers to not live in the city. This particular group of guys wants a politically conservative zip code and no amount of gov't subsidized 3-bedroom homes in Shaw will induce him to live on the street with the Pride parade.

As a family with two moms, I'm all for keeping fire fighters who want to live in Trump loving zip codes off of the pay roll. All for adding a zip code preference for DC residents to have this job.

[Anonymous]

should people who can document antibodies to COVID (presumably from prior COVID infection) still be forced to get vaccinated?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So why exactly are so many fire fighters refusing to be vaccinated? Is it because they're Republican?

In DC ??

No, not a chance.

Most don't live anywhere near DC. My cousin is a retired firefighter. He lives in Stafford, VA. His colleagues lived in W. Virginia, Fredricksburg, etc. They do 3 day shifts so it's easy to live really far.

+1...it is part of the housing affordability issue. The royal 'we" really need to do something that ensures our first responders, teachers etc can live in DC proper.

completely disagree. it's fine for moderate-income workers to not live in the city. This particular group of guys wants a politically conservative zip code and no amount of gov't subsidized 3-bedroom homes in Shaw will induce him to live on the street with the Pride parade.

As a family with two moms, I'm all for keeping fire fighters who want to live in Trump loving zip codes off of the pay roll. All for adding a zip code preference for DC residents to have this job.

So you are in favor of discrimination against Republicans? Is that the way your mom(s) raised you?

[Anonymous]

I’m a retired police officer and no one complained much when we were required to have Hepatitis B shots back in the 1980’s. No one complained when they instituted random drug tests either. I propose DC randomize the dismissals of the 90 scofflaws eligible for firing. If they randomly fire five the other 85 will likely fall in line. They must be fair and ready to prove the names were selected at random. No pension no eligibility for rehire. This avoids massive personnel shortages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is great until your house burns down or you need to be extricated from a totaled car. I’m pro-vax, but I think this is going to backfire.

Firefighters are far more likely to be responding to medical calls -including from people with covid - than house fires. And in those medical calls they are interacting with medically vulnerable people, and obviously putting themselves at risk for catching and then transmitting covid to the next vulnerable patient they see.

All first responders should be vaccinated.

+1

Last year, COVID was the leading cause of job-related death for police officers. And they have a very low vaccination rate. It's insane -- they are sworn to protect people, but they won't get a vaccine that will protect them and others from an infection that could be deadly. Both groups frequently respond to calls involving medical emergencies, and interact with medically vulnerable people. They need to be vaccinated.

I'd love to understand the psychology behind all of this.

I think these groups feel entitled to gorge themselves at the public trough, consequences be damned. They should start now by cutting OT for any unvaccinated first responder. That's a good first step to see how they respond to incentives.

I can't even imagine the entitled whining and meltdowns that will happen when their first paycheck is canceled.

Sorry I'm a little late responding...

You said you'd love to understand the psychology behind all of this... well here it is.

I've sent this to a few anti-vaxx friends and shockingly, they've started to do more of their own research and not just listen to their echo chamber online.

Take a read.

https://theoatmeal.com/comics/believe

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:should people who can document antibodies to COVID (presumably from prior COVID infection) still be forced to get vaccinated?

Of course. The actual national and world experts say they should also be vaccinated.

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

Of course it’s not just white,Trump-loving firefighters who will lose their jobs. Lots of black folks are vaccine hesitant as well.

But I don’t care. Either way:

If you don’t get vaxed, you should get axed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course it’s not just white,Trump-loving firefighters who will lose their jobs. Lots of black folks are vaccine hesitant as well.

But I don’t care. Either way:

If you don’t get vaxed, you should get axed.

You'll care when there are not enough EMS/ff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course it’s not just white,Trump-loving firefighters who will lose their jobs. Lots of black folks are vaccine hesitant as well.

But I don’t care. Either way:

If you don’t get vaxed, you should get axed.

You'll care when there are not enough EMS/ff.

Once again, that won’t happen, especially for firefighters. They are sought after jobs with more applicants than they can hire for a well paying job that does not require a degree.

[Anonymous]

It used to be that people who were of average or below average IQ mostly listened to and learned from people who were smarter and more capable and accomplished than them.

That all changed with Trump. He made them think that they should not take a backseat to anybody, should not suppress whatever thoughts or beliefs popped into their heads, should not trust anybody except each other, and should trust their own expertise over that of scientists, doctors and experts.

Now people are willing to lose their jobs rather than admit they are wrong.

As far as firefighters go, I agree that there are plenty of applicants who will gladly get the vaccine, or already have, to take the place of those who want to make this a cause to die on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It used to be that people who were of average or below average IQ mostly listened to and learned from people who were smarter and more capable and accomplished than them.

That all changed with Trump. He made them think that they should not take a backseat to anybody, should not suppress whatever thoughts or beliefs popped into their heads, should not trust anybody except each other, and should trust their own expertise over that of scientists, doctors and experts.

Now people are willing to lose their jobs rather than admit they are wrong.

As far as firefighters go, I agree that there are plenty of applicants who will gladly get the vaccine, or already have, to take the place of those who want to make this a cause to die on.

Literally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is great until your house burns down or you need to be extricated from a totaled car. I’m pro-vax, but I think this is going to backfire.

Firefighters are far more likely to be responding to medical calls -including from people with covid - than house fires. And in those medical calls they are interacting with medically vulnerable people, and obviously putting themselves at risk for catching and then transmitting covid to the next vulnerable patient they see.

All first responders should be vaccinated.

+1

Last year, COVID was the leading cause of job-related death for police officers. And they have a very low vaccination rate. It's insane -- they are sworn to protect people, but they won't get a vaccine that will protect them and others from an infection that could be deadly. Both groups frequently respond to calls involving medical emergencies, and interact with medically vulnerable people. They need to be vaccinated.

I'd love to understand the psychology behind all of this.

I think these groups feel entitled to gorge themselves at the public trough, consequences be damned. They should start now by cutting OT for any unvaccinated first responder. That's a good first step to see how they respond to incentives.

I can't even imagine the entitled whining and meltdowns that will happen when their first paycheck is canceled.

Sorry I'm a little late responding...

You said you'd love to understand the psychology behind all of this... well here it is.

I've sent this to a few anti-vaxx friends and shockingly, they've started to do more of their own research and not just listen to their echo chamber online.

Take a read.

https://theoatmeal.com/comics/believe

Wow, this is great!
It should be mandatory reading for all vaccination holdouts.
It really explains the hesitation well.