| Author | Message | ||
     Firemanjim |
We have been battling the city about our contract for some time and this week they dropped a bomb on us--15% pay cut,cut an engine company,threatening bancruptcy--- I was due to retire in july but as all my leave buy-outs could be wiped away by this I am putting in my papers tomorrow. It sucks to exit this way and leave my crew in this way but I really had no choice. So as of 0800 tomorrow I am done,nearly 29 years. Sure would have been nice to leave on my own terms. Will miss the people but not the calls or interrupted sleeps. On the up side,now I will be at shop full time and my girlfriend gets to have me every night now. Course,you fools are stuck with me. Beer tomorrow night in celebration!!  | ||
| Bad_karma |
Congrats, a chance to start anew. Joe | ||
| Coolice |
Congrats, now get out and enjoy life. Race, ride, ride, and?  | ||
| Littlebuggles |
I'll drink something in your honor, 29 year career in fire is awesome! -Mike | ||
| Rich |
One door closes, another opens. Good luck, Jim. | ||
| Smoke |
congrats on your new endeavors Jim. Hopefully this will speed up your LSR project. have you taken that S1 to the roadcourse yet? ride fast, tim | ||
| Nevrenuf |
just as long as you can finagle it, i don't see that as a bad thing at all. good luck on the next phase of your life. at least your son got to finish school and get a good job. | ||
| Tom_k |
FMJ: Congrats on the 29 years of service. Not too many people these days can say they put that much time into one place. The big upside is more time for the bikes! TK | ||
| Reepicheep |
Congratulations! I have an uncle that was a Chicago fire chief... it never got out of his blood, but he sure enjoys retirement Woke up to a fire in my neighborhood this morning. Deadly serious stuff, thanks for your service! | ||
| Oldog |
FMJ: Congrats on the change, and as Reepi said thanks for your service, You made a difference, now its time to enjoy the fruits of your labours. I'll have a cool bevrage to you, to Endevours! | ||
| Rotzaruck |
FMJ Lots of changes, or opportunities. 29 years is plenty, congratulations. Go start some fires man!! Rotzaruck!! | ||
| Zac4mac |
Jim - It's early, so I'll raise a cup of coffee in your honor. 29 years of saving life and property, priceless. I'm sure a lot of people personally owe you thanks. Enjoy "retirement" ie playing with your toys. As soon as noon passes, I'll have a beer and raise it to you... Hope to meet you at Homecoming. Zack | ||
| Jackbequick |
Jim, Get your back to the wall and protect yourself and your benefits, too much loyalty to the things that are long gone can be a bad thing in the long run. Enjoy what you have earned! You're probably working with CalPers benefits and pension and that is probably still as good as gold. I'm assuming that the politicians have not broken into CalPers and looted it yet. I remember they used to try to do that every few years. What city are you with? Vacaville or Vallejo? I was stationed at Skaggs Island and retired from the Navy there in 1990. I used to brush shoulders with some of the Sonoma, Napa, and Vallejo FD and PD guys when I was the Security Chief at Skaggs. I lived in Sonoma until 2001 and watched Mare Island as it was decommissioned and looted by the city of Vallejo. If the City of Vallejo is about to go bankrupt, they probably deserve it for the way they mishandled their acquisition of Mare Island. It was like watching a city being looted. Jack | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
FIREMANJIM SPEED GOODIES AND PERFORMANCE SHOP NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | ||
| Road_thing |
Lemme get this straight--you're newly single, have a hot new girlfriend, just started up a new business doing something you love, got your son through school and off the payroll, and now you have a pension and all the time in the world to do what you want? Does that about sum it up? . . . . . . . . . Wanna trade lives?  Good luck, Jim!! rt | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
Fireman Jim, your pension benefits should be vested so they'll still be there in July or anytime you need them. The thing to be careful of is health insurance- under many government employee pension plans you can keep your health insurance into retirement, providing you maintain employee status until you retire. If you become eligible for pension in July, you may thus have to stay in "employee" status until then. You can probably take a "leave of abscence" until July to maintain employee status and keep your health insurance. | ||
| Unibear12r |
I'll be toasting to ya Jim! Congrats. I know what you are talking about. I may have to bail the same way on the Sheriffs office depending on the next contract. Sounds to me that you have a good plan, a lot to look forward to, and a lot to be proud of. | ||
| Akbuell |
Congrats on your retirement, and thanks for your service. I,ll raise a glass to you later today. And now lots of new things will be available. Good for you, and lots of luck in the future!!! Dave | ||
| Sparky |
Fireman Jim, Congratulations! That's a gutty decision to make. You're putting behind a good job that you love to get ready for the good life ahead that you deserve. Have fun, man. I'll see ya down the road. So, now that you're not a fireman any more, does that make you... Freeman Jim?  | ||
| 98s3sns |
Congrats! Jim,looking forward to the day that Ill be able to retire.Best wishes in your new line of work.  | ||
| Pwnzor |
Run for President. It's the logical thing to do. | ||
| Firebolteric_ma |
I would Vote for you over the bums running now... Good luck!!!! | ||
| Ulywife |
Firemanjim - Enjoy your retirement! I'm sure you'll find other things to keep you busy! | ||
| M1combat |
Should we have Blake change your name to "Retiredmanjim"? | ||
| Old_man |
Fireman Jim, Congratulations! Be happy! Enjoy your retirement, I know you'll miss the job, but you made a wise decision. My brother, Jim, was a fire captain for the City of Pittsburgh. Sadly he died, on the job, at age 49. I spent 38 years on the police department, the last 23 years as the commander of homicide. It was a rare night that I wasn't awakened for a call. I'm sure you had it the same way. You'll miss the action but a body can only handle so much. Inside, you knew , as I did, that it was time. Keep yourself active and busy, to keep healthy. Again, congratulations on your career and enjoy your retirement. Jack | ||
| Djkaplan |
When a page turns, it always reveals another one... until you reach the end of your book. Sounds like you're only halfway through your book. Now the plot thickens... | ||
| Bads1 |
Congrats Jim,Thats a long time on the job and maybe alittle emotional on departure. But then again now you get to be around your hobby's full time. Now the only hose you can play with is your own.lol | ||
| Sleez |
wow! congrats, hoist a brew my way??? | ||
| Birdy |
I know you'll miss it though Jim. Once smoke gets in you blood you can't get it back out. The only thing that I hate is they're cutting your (and other firefighters, police, EMTs) pay BUT somehow the Powers That Be can always come up with the cash for their raise and perks. We won't even go to what I think about over paid over sized KIDS play games and getting millions of bucks for it. When was the last time a football player forced entry into a burning house to drag somebody out? OK Rants over all swim! | ||
| Firemanjim |
I feel better now,waded through all the paperwork and have my buyout taken care of,am at GF's getting Valentines dinner with extra helping of TLC with several beers. My brother retired as of tomorrow as well. We are planning a hell of a retirement party and the invitation will be extended to anyone here who wants to show. We figure with him,myself and our friend Mike,all going at the same time at least a 100 people will be there. We would not even notice any of you lot among all the fireman. |
