WHAT a disgrace Eric Leaver and his comments are regarding fire crews (LET, October 23).

The so-called 40 percent pay claim, otherwise known as £30,000 from the Labour Research Department whose report into fire service pay brought about this figure.

Danger? It's more dangerous in any other profession if you cut corners -- something firefighters do not do. Why do you think we train so hard on every aspect of the job?

Do you realise that in 1977 we were on two-thirds of an MP's pay.

I'll let you work out if we are still on that now while you compare how both jobs have changed over the last 25 years.

This pay issue is not about what others earn, it's about us as firefighters.

If the public sector workers feel underpaid, then tell them to do something about it because, believe me, they will have the backing of every firefighter in the country.

As for only being called out 10 percent of the time we are on duty, do you know how long an incident lasts it's not just turn up, squirt some water and go.

Our hours? 42 per week. What's the average again? Is this not a full time job? The hours don't allow us to do two jobs it's a case of many firefighters having to do two jobs just to survive.

And don't come back with we knew what the job entailed because that just doesn't wash. Firefighter's love their job.

The satisfaction it gives us far outweighs any monetary gain, but that does not mean we should have to struggle by just because we love the career we have chosen.

Stress? What do you know about it? Have you ever turned into a street with a house blazing to find mum, dad friends neighbours screaming at you to get their kids out of that fire?

Have you ever been told by a doctor that if you don't get people out of a vehicle soon they are going to die?

Have you ever been in a position where a colleague is in trouble in a fire and as well as getting casualties out, you need to help them as well?

I take it Eric Leaver will answer 'No' to each question.

Do you know that a firefighter's life-expectancy, once retired, is around ten years on average? Makes you think, doesn't it? All for a paltry £21,500 a year.

I hope you never need the fire service, Mr Leaver, because the day you do is the day your whole perception of firefighters will change and you will wish you never slated us the way you did.

Not one firefighter in this country wants to go on strike and we pray it will be over before it even starts.

But it is up to the government to start listening and stop treating us like second-class citizens.

I think your article was an absolute disgrace!

BRIAN WELCH, firefighter.