Being a Firefighter...

Who among us hasn't ever wondered as we stand in the cold, dark, wee hours of the morning. "God, why an I here? Why am I in the freezing rain at 2am pulling hoses and trying to keep warm? Why?" But who among us hasn't glowed with pride while we stand around twenty-five seven year-olds during a fire safety class as they stare in awe at that "big red truck", and scared yellow helmet. Who among us hasn't bolted upright in bed for the thousandth time in a cold sweat after a nightmare about that fatal crash last November? Who among us doesn't get that surge, that rush when that pager tones us off again?

Our hearts all cry out to those firefighting families in other towns, states and even other nations when we hear of the death of one of their own. Every other firefighter in every little village around the world is our brother or sister. We are all born just a little bit different. Born with a desire to help and a hunger for the adventure in the unexpected. We live it, we breath it and we sleep it, even though most of us vowed the day we joined we'd put every call behind us after returning to the station. We all know someplace deep with in us that the next call could be our last, We know the danger in what we do, but we know the rewards. To save a life just once is worth all the pain, and sorrow the worst calls can bring. The public doesn't understand when one of us comes out of an inferno carrying an infant alive in our arms, we aren't a hero. We are just doing out job. After all, who among us wants to be called a hero when we can be known as a firefighter.

-S. L.-