I find it ironic you're criticizing the pay of a man who leads the people who would happily save you from your burning properties if they were on fire.
Lifetime cost of living increases, raises and medical coverage for you and your family for life, and that on top of any additional public safety job pension you get makes it really sad that police and fire who are supposed to be protecting and improving society are instead bankrupting it and making it worse by preventing funds from being used for much needed infrastructure improvements.
The truth is, technology and building codes in the US–and especially California–have significantly reduced the loss of life and property due to fires. That's a great thing. Unfortunately, fire department budgets have increased at the same time. Partly due to pensions, partly due to the fact that cutting a fire budget is political suicide.
Have you noticed how 30-foot, $1 million+ fire engines show up to minor traffic accidents and first aid calls? There's a reason (they need to look busy).
Fun fact: 8% of calls to fire departments are false alarms and 64% are for non-fire medical support.
(Disclaimer: I am a volunteer firefighter in California)
They do that because they can't be caught without the engine if they get an actual fire call. They would leave directly from the accident/medical/CatInTree in the engine and go directly to the fire.
That's why you see them drive to the grocery store in the fire truck. You can't wait for them to go back to the firehouse to get the engine ...