However, the FENZ protest does not only relate to pay. Conditions of service are also completely questionable. Fire staff are often exposed to fires which have a known relationship to cancer and other illnesses. The psychological damage to the mental well-being of officers exposed to traumatic scenes on a regular basis must be horrific. I had to scrape up the remains of four people many years ago and still mentally relive that event.
Let all us responsible persons stand up for the firefighters who may save our homes or our lives, as our community will be lost without them.
D PARTNER
Eastown
Editor's note: Trainee firefighter pay according to the Government's careers website starts at $46,000 a year. The website says army soldiers start at between $44,000 and $51,000 a year, while new police officers get $69,000 a year upon graduating.
Free digital support
On the front page of Wednesday's (Aug 3) Chronicle, the issue of digital exclusion was noted in reporting that the Citizen's Advice Bureau had petitioned Government to reverse the trend towards putting all government services fully online.
The Whanganui Learning Centre fully endorses this petition. We want the public to know that we offer a free service that supports anyone who is having difficulty in either using their mobile devices or navigating websites online.
Our Tech Lab is open Mondays and Fridays, 9.30am--noon. We have 25 computers, kindly sponsored by the Akoranga Trust, to support the public in finding websites, filling out forms or retrieving information.
Please phone us to make an initial appointment with us on 06 348 4950 or come into 232 Wicksteed Street, Whanganui. Together, we'll sort out your needs.
DR DEB J HILL
Whanganui Learning Centre
