I’m only upset that we have an over abundance of fire fighters now and are looking for ways to keep them busy. Retraining as a combination of EMT and Fire for instance.
(The above numbers are only rough estimates, close enough for discussion, but not even close to right)
I'd rather paramedics for medical problems but they don't have training to deal with all the other things that happen in an emergency so we still need others. And better than paramedics is fast transport to a real emergency room because that will have specialized equipment that won't all fit on a vehicle - which a well trained fire fighter can do.
There are legitimate critiques of the perverse incentives of defined benefit pensions, but on the whole I'd say it's better to focus on why the overwhelming standard is for people to not be paid well.
(Police unions are indeed a scourge. But similarly, the amount they get paid is like one of the things I am least concerned about)
And maybe that's fair compensation for someone who has been working a job that literally risks his life, but it's not cheap.