Hot topic recently. What are your views of you national Firefighter service? Do you consider them professional or underfunded and reform needed? Also what are the outstanding examples of their service and courage?

In Poland we have 710k serviceman (680k volunteers of which 50k woman, 30k professionals) and around 20k fire-trucks. Firefighters places at top of the most trusted public services year by year.

Most notable events, as far as I remember, were international missions to Sweden and Russia.

The biggest forest fire in Poland - Kuźnica Raciborska 1992 - where 2 serviceman were killed and 2050 injured(50 hospitalized). 10k people, 1100 fire-trucks, choppers, 26 planes, railway tanks or even tanks took part in action. After that event major reforms were started.

So what about your country?