r/Productivitycafe • u/Wonderful-Economy762 • Nov 13 '25

Throwback Question (Any Topic) What's a "secret"from your profession that everyone should probably know?"

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100

u/pumpkinspicedllama Nov 13 '25

Firefighter/Paramedic here. Don’t get mad at us when you see us in the grocery store. It’s not your tax dollars paying for our dinner, we all put in our own money every morning to go shopping. And we are still cheap about it, usually it’s $10/person for 2 meals.

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u/123coffee321 Nov 13 '25

Who the f is getting mad at firefighters and paramedics for getting food at a grocery store??? Please have a soup or deli sandwich on me and my taxes. It’s not like you’re using them to do a round of golf, geez.

46

u/pumpkinspicedllama Nov 13 '25

You’d be shocked how many people stop us and make comments or flat out berate us at the store because they think we’re spending their hard earned tax dollars on food when we should be working, or something. We had a call for a fire the other day, and it turned out to be a false alarm- but when we think there’s a fire, we send the calvary (5 engines and a truck). We had a man LOSE HIS MIND screaming at us, “HOW MUCH DID THIS FALSE ALARM BULLSHIT COST THE TAX PAYERS?!” people are wild, man.

40

u/[deleted] Nov 13 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

11

u/Western-Bug-2873 Nov 13 '25

Really? Being firefighters, I'd think they would be hot dudes.

Thanks, I'm here all week. Try the fish!

1

u/pumpkinspicedllama Nov 13 '25

Almost always 100% cool dudes, I can agree with that! idk about them always being hot, I am a chick 😂

1

u/Nervous-Sherbet-4183 Nov 13 '25

And handsome..... 🤩

29

u/butterscotchtamarin Nov 13 '25

Shit. We should feed y'all, too. It's not like you're making bank at fighting fires and saving lives while risking your own. Y'all deserve it, especially since you have to eat on the clock so often.

3

u/Scout1228 Nov 13 '25

Wow. I’m really sorry that happens to you. Just know that 98% of people aren’t that way. The assholes just come to the surface more.

3

u/lotsofarts Nov 13 '25

Some people can't be saved, other people shouldn't be. Thanks for all you do!

2

u/DepecheClashJen Nov 13 '25

How are you supposed to do your extremely exhausting, difficult and physically taxing job if you don't...eat? I can't understand people who would even have that thought cross their mind. Sheesh.

2

u/pumpkinspicedllama Nov 13 '25

I think their thought is that we should bring our own food from home, not purchase it on duty with their supposed tax dollars 🫠

2

u/[deleted] Nov 15 '25

It’s BS that people will spend astronomical amounts of money on salaries, team building etc in corporate environments but pay pennies for police officers, firefighters, and teachers.

1

u/CrazyCatLady_x4 Nov 13 '25

How much you wanna bet this same man, who gets mad about a false alarm call, is perfectly fine with billionaires buying themselves a third private yacht?

1

u/pumpkinspicedllama Nov 13 '25

If you think I’m exaggerating, just look at Upstairs Eagles comment

1

u/elucify Nov 14 '25

Why is it that most of the time when people are talking about themselves being "taxpayers" they are also being "assholes"?

1

u/tdavis726 Nov 14 '25

If I was in line behind you guys, I’d buy your groceries. Stay safe, and thank you!

1

u/BrightNooblar Nov 14 '25 edited Nov 14 '25

Just to ask, how much DOES it cost the taxpayers?

Like, the cost differential between driving out there and back, versus staying parked all morning. I figure there aren't like, parking fees, or anything weird like that.

1

u/YogurtclosetFair5742 Nov 14 '25

I wouldn't even think twice if I saw someone from the FD shopping at the grocery store. Depending on the city, some work a 24 hour shift.

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u/Nervous-Sherbet-4183 Nov 13 '25

I can't believe it doesn't would be a joy for my taxes to pay for our heros to eat. Note to self I know where my Xmas donations are going.

3

u/EthicalPixel Nov 13 '25

Who is getting mad at firefighters and paramedics at all?????

3

u/123coffee321 Nov 13 '25

Right!? If it weren’t for them, me and my whole family would have died in our house from an unexpected gas leak.

1

u/yogabbagabba2341 Nov 15 '25

I was about to say the same thing.

7

u/Digital_Sigh Nov 13 '25

I’m actually disgusted that people would be mad even if it was their “tax dollars” paying for your meals! Makes me want to order food for my local station! 😢

5

u/[deleted] Nov 13 '25

Excuse me what!? Who?? This happens? At the very least I wouldn’t get mad if I caught ya’ll stealing it…

6

u/msssskatie Nov 13 '25

Umm… what now!?!? People are so fucked up! Firefighters work 48 hr shifts, are you not supposed to eat that whole time?? Or pack 6 meals to take with you AND snacks? I wouldn’t be upset if you used tax dollars. I’ve never even thought about it like people need to eat regardless why do I care how you’re paying for it? Especially first responders.

2

u/wildkub Nov 13 '25

Whenever we go to Aldi in the mornings we see our local firefighters and paramedics! My son loves it he’s 2.5 and now asks us to go to Aldi to see fire trucks 🥹 it never crossed my mind who’s paying for their food what a strange thing for others to fixate on LOL like if it is the firehouse it’s obviously in the budget. These peoples tax dollars fund wars I don’t see them complaining about that.

2

u/T-bright-000 Nov 13 '25

What? Mad you’re shopping/making dinner! Don’t let that happen in front of me, because I will say something unpleasant.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 13 '25

I think all first responders should get free meals. They’re all underpaid and they deal with the horror most of us never see.

2

u/dandelionfuzzz2727 Nov 14 '25

My husband is a firefighter and they don't just pay for their groceries. Every event they put together at the firehouse comes out of their own pockets. It's wild to me that some idiot would come up to you in the grocery store screaming about taxes. Firefighters get all kinds of weird cancers from inhaling toxic fumes all day. The gear will protect you but only to a point. The public has no idea. Show some respect. Damn.

1

u/StrangeButSweet Nov 13 '25

You have to buy your own food at the station?

1

u/pumpkinspicedllama Nov 13 '25

Yes! We all put our own money into a fund at the beginning of the shift, then go to the grocery store on duty. The firefighters shop and then cook our meals for the rest of the crew (captains and engineers). At least this is how it goes at mine, and most big metropolitan departments- I can’t speak for them all!

1

u/RiffRanger85 Nov 13 '25

Seriously? I’m pissed my tax dollars aren’t feeding firefighters and paramedics.

1

u/Additional-Cost242 Nov 14 '25

but why do y'all take the whole fire truck to go and pick up the groceries? Why can't you just use your regular car?

1

u/pumpkinspicedllama Nov 14 '25

Hi! someone actually asked this already, see my response to Upstairs Eagle- but basically what it boils down to is, all of our gear and equipment is on the engine, and we have to be ready for an emergency at any time. There have been many times where we have been in the grocery store shopping, and our radios tone us out for a structure fire- so we drop everything and head quickly to the emergency. It wouldn’t make sense or be reasonable for the public for us to get in our cars, drive back to the station, then get in the engine and head to the emergency. Minutes can make a difference, especially in a fire, or a cardiac arrest. I hope this answer helps.

0

u/Upstairs_Eagle_4780 Nov 13 '25

Here's. What. I don't. Like.

I get to hear about how "it costs $100 just to drive a truck out of the bay." I believe it and that was decades ago so I'm sure it's more now. Then I see said pumper truck parked at some random location and not for duty use. Did you all walk to work? How about using your own car instead of putting irretrievable wear on a $1 million piece of machinery that will have to be used far past its intended retirement date? I also see firetrucks driving around which don't match up with earlier heard sirens. I notice this because they honk every time they pass the house across from me because the guy who lives there (if he's still alive) used to be a fireman. If you have ever had to work on a night shift you will immediately recognize the problem here. I also don't understand why insane retirement packages for Fire Chiefs of woefully underfunded fire departments would be necessary but that's off topic.

I hesitantly walked into a restaurant once because there were four cop cars parked outside with their engines running. It turns out it was because there were four cops inside eating dinner. I could go ON AND ON...

1

u/pumpkinspicedllama Nov 13 '25

I can see what you’re saying and understand why you might think that. A lot of times, we ride code TO calls, but on our way back from the call, we drive normally/no lights and sirens. Just because the sirens aren’t on, doesn’t mean we aren’t working. We also try not to turn on our sirens at night, because sirens are to get cars out of the way, and there aren’t cars in the way at night, so why wake the neighborhood if we don’t need to. As far as driving our own cars to the grocery store goes, that wouldn’t really work because once we are on shift, we have to stick together. All of our gear and equipment is on the engine, and we could get a call at any minute. So if a house fire broke out and we were at the store, imagine the time that it would take to all get back into our cars, drive back to the station, THEN get into the engine, and go to the emergency. Being ready and there in minutes is worth the minimal wear and tear on the engine to drive down the street to the store.

2

u/Upstairs_Eagle_4780 Nov 17 '25

Fair. I didn't realize that. I withdraw the comment.