Mikeyd - I think that should read 'intelligent FF'.
Do nurses get to sleep on an overnight shift? No!
Do nurses get double time and TOIL for a Bank Holiday? No!
If FF spend such long hours actually working then why do you need recreational facilities at the Station?
Do nurses spend their time at work playing table football or watching Sky? No!
Just how many hours would a nurse have to work to match a FF's pay? And would that nurse still have enough time off to run a second job?
A FF joins to pick up the pieces of accidents and save lives in a hostile environment (and I don't mean when a**holes are throwing bricks etc at you , that is unacceptable). A Nurse joins to mend sick people, not to get threatened and verbally and physically abused but I bet they get a lot more of the latter than your average FF.
What extra responsibilities were you asked to take on? All jobs move on as technology advances and new skills have to be learned to keep pace - why is yours any different?
Your last paragraph sounds like a thinly disguised threat to oppose any ex-servicemen from joining the Fire Brigade in the future.
When the Govt cut as many FF jobs as they have military, then you can moan - more people work for Tesco than are in the Armed Forces!