Hi Lord B,
I have been on 12 month contracts for the last 18 months. It is the only way to stop paying pension so in effect 11% pay rise.
Like you I have had to bury 2 brother Firefighters off my watch & still shed a few tears, they are allways the worst, but kiddies always affect me, 3 years ago, just before end of shift, the day one of the watch was getting married, we got a call to flat fire persons reported. When we got there a man on 1st floor balcony was screeming my kids are in there. we pitched the 9.5.m the best man & I enterd the flat looking for 2 kids, after about 3m I found his wife & told my mate to look for the kids whilst I dragged her to the front door. By the time I got her to the door he had located the kids (who had started the fire in their bedroom) & got them out. We managed to resusitate the woman but lost the 2 kids.
Needless to say the wedding went down like a lead balloon, but the good news is that the almost newly weds found out today that they are going to have a baby.
I dont know who is more exited the watch or the parents to be.
Graham W.