"One call-out a day, an annual salary of 75 million won, what a cushy job" — Firefighter denigration post sparks outrage: "Stop running your mouth" [What do you think?]

[Financial News] A post that belittled firefighters as having a "cushy job" drew attention after a firefighter's wife responded directly.

According to News 1 on the 19th, a post titled "I saw that a firefighter with 12 years of service earns 75 million won a year" recently appeared on the social networking service (SNS) Threads.
The author claimed that more than half of fire suppression teams, which respond to fire reports, are dispatched less than once a day on average, arguing that firefighters receive high pay relative to the number of call-outs.
A rebuttal comment was then posted by A, who identified herself as the wife of an active firefighter with 12 years of service.
"I'm a firefighter's wife, and my first reaction was, 'So what?'" she wrote. "If you're unhappy, take the exam yourself and become a firefighter who claims to be living the cushy life."
She went on to say, "People who know nothing keep saying firefighters have it too easy and just sit around doing nothing. I wish they would take the civil service exam for firefighters even once before saying things like that."
She also wrote, "When there are no fires, they play soccer and games too. But even without fires, summer still brings calls to remove wasp nests, catch snakes, and catch dogs."
She strongly criticized the remarks, saying, "Firefighters are called out when a door won't open, and they spend all day being dragged around like a punching bag, installing fire alarms for elderly people living alone. Stop running your mouth about things you don't even know."

Netizens who saw the post responded with comments such as, "They work day and night, holidays included. Is 75 million won really that much? Honestly, they should be paid more," "If you think it's such a cushy job, try doing it yourself," and "Don't go after the salaries of firefighters, soldiers, and police officers, whose lives are effectively on the line 365 days a year."
In reality, firefighters handle not only fires but also a wide range of emergency and public safety calls, including traffic accidents, cardiac arrest, mountain rescues, wasp nest removal, and door openings. They remain on standby 24 hours a day for unpredictable disasters and emergencies.
In particular, a survey found that more than four out of 10 firefighters report symptoms such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or sleep disorders, underscoring the urgent need for mental health care.
In 2024, the National Fire Agency (NFA) and the public medical service team at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital surveyed 52,802 firefighters in the "2023 Firefighter Mental Health Survey." The results showed that 23,060 people, or 43.9%, were in a high-risk group requiring management or treatment for at least one of four major psychological conditions: post-traumatic stress disorder, depressive symptoms, sleep disorders, and problematic drinking.
By condition, with multiple responses allowed, the rates were 6.5% for post-traumatic stress disorder, 6.3% for depressive symptoms, 27.2% for sleep disorders, and 26.4% for problematic drinking.
[email protected] An Ga-eul Reporter