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Thousands of firefighters in uniform on paid agency time came from different fire agencies all over Southern California to attend Glenn Allen's funeral bringing with them tens of millions of dollars of firefighting equipment, helicopters. Just the cost of fuel alone must have cost in the tens of thousands of dollars, notwithstanding the cost of salaries and accrued benefits of thousands of active duty firefighters. His funeral must have cost the taxpayers millions of dollars thanks to union rules that permit such a waste of taxpayer funds.

I personally mean no disrespect to his family, but if it were not for union rules, firefighters would have to attend funerals on their own time.

A few years ago, thousands of State, Federal, County, City police cars descended on Albuquerque for the funeral of two ABQ P.D. officers killed by a psycho. The rub is, three other civilians were also killed by that guy. No mention of them. Thousands of dollars of gas, overtime, plus the entire interstate system was clogged with emergency vehicles. A tremendous waste of money and time. While I feel bad for the families, their is NO WAY that any private enterprise could afford to do that every time an employee was killed. I saw police cars from every corner of the State of New Mexico participating. These people have no concept of money. Because they are spending other peoples money and that is very easy to do. Plus they enjoy far to much power, far to many pension benefits, and exemption from the laws that everybody else has to follow. It is time to trim back the power and money of the Federal, State, County, City, government. Vote “NO” to every bond issue. Go ahead... Vote in an irresponsible manner. I give you permission.

This was such a tragic story - the man was one year from retirement and was killed by a falling roof in a burning building, and his beloved daughter gave birth to his awaited first grandchild the DAY AFTER he died.

I was sad along with all of L.A. But I did not know that the fellow firefighters were PAID to attend his funeral. That doesn’t seem right.

I personally mean no disrespect to his family, but if it were not for union rules, firefighters would have to attend funerals on their own time.

I agree. Again, not wanting to be disrespectful, but police work and firefighting are not anywhere near the most dangerous occupations. Firefighting is 13th and police work is 10th with the most common cause of death being traffic accidents.

It still seems to be that the most important thing is who you are, as demonstrated by the aftermath of the Arizona shootings.

And also...

This is just street theater prepping the citizens of California for our inevitable showdowns with the public employee unions. Since a firefighter died, we can’t cut the pensions of all the secretaries sitting around state agencies polishing their nails and the prison guards who make more than UC professors.

They’ve got themselves a martyr now.