I read in the Sun Journal (Dec. 24) about the base pay for a firefighter in Jay. I am taken aback by the small amount. A custodian in the school system, without any training, gets $12 per hour. A firefighter has a much greater responsibility than a custodian, yet there are a few firefighters in Jay who are paid less than $9 per hour.

Firefighters save lives and people’s homes. They are under stress when going into a burning structure, not always knowing what is inside. At any moment they could get hurt and never be able to work again, or even killed.

Town officials should give those firefighters a break and pay them a decent wage.

Alan Girouard, Hartford