After ten years of flying (7 at the regionals, and three at a legacy airline) I have yet to break 70k in a calendar year.

I have no pension.

I'm still paying off my debt from expenses when I learned to fly and the miscellaneous debt we racked up while I was an FO at the regionals for 5 years.

Stay a firefighter. Your wife, kids, and pension will be better off.

If you're determined to fly, learn to, and go out for a 100 (now 250) dollar hamburger once in a while.

Just my humble opinion BTW.