mdtaylor

Our trucks fast idle at post (with brief moments of the driver idling down simply to change the monotonous tone of the engine noise) for two reasons. First, for the climate control needs of medications, and second, so there is no wondering if this beast will start without shore power. It's really embarrassing to have to tell dispatch that your rig won't start. And even more so to tell the family the reason for the delayed response.

When your sole reason for existing is to raise money for disabled firefighters, 6% is pathetic. Oil and Gas and S & P donate. But it is not their line of work. This particular charity is to raise monies for the firefighters. That is what has everyone's knickers in a knot.

You didn't seem to understand the analogy. Business is business whether is it oil and gas, S&P whatever, or collecting for charity. Utilities have to be paid, salaries, rent, office supplies, postage, credit card expense, and on and on. Only AFTER all the bills are paid can monies be given to the charities for which is was intended. And if it takes 94% to pay the bills then they are giving 100% of what is left to the charity.

All I am suggesting is that we see the actual numbers before we condemn the effort.

There was a story recently of a guy in VA/DC area that was raising money for Disabled Iraq Veterans or something like that and had raised something like $8,000,000. He had 3 HUGE homes (to rival Al Gores), exotic cars and a personal jet (oops, his "business" jet), etc. Records indicated he gave $100,000 to the DAV.

Oh, and 8 million is not NEAR enough to buy all the things you quoted...

Although that his donations amount to only 1.25% this story reeks to me because it is "a guy in VA/DC" and not an organization. An individual would normally donate his time and effort as well as 100% of funds collected.

D

According to an NBC 5 review, less than $6 of every $100 donated to the Disabled Firefighters Fund went to help disabled firefighters.

D.D. Pierce of the Dallas Firefighters Association said the charity makes firefighters "very, very, very, angry."

Money raised for the purpose of donating to such causes must come from net profits. 6% is NOT that bad. The average for the oil and gas industry today is a mere 9.7% The average for the S&P 500 is just 8.5% (Source) So, a small business that donates 6% is not out of line. The media makes it sound bad. The firefighters make it sound bad. And the public is outraged. But, it is monies that the firefighters would not have otherwise. If they want better then they can man the phones themselves instead of watching movies or playing basketball in between calls.

Yeah, I'm a firefighter.....