I Am A Firefighter
By Fred Eppinger
August 1997


I am a Firefighter; I am a DragonSlayer.
I have entered the lair of the beast and engaged it in mortal combat.

I am a Firefighter; I am a Dancer.
I have entered the gates of hell and danced with the Devil,
until his desire to dance was destroyed.

I am a Firefighter; I am a Human Being.
I make mistakes and I learn from them.
I have fears and I confront and overcome them.
I ask not for admiration, only respect.

I am a Firefighter; I am not a Hero.
I do what I do for the love of the craft and a desire to help others.

I am a Firefighter; I am not an Immortal.
My brothers and sisters and I have suffered great losses,
we become wounded and we recover, we go on and we remember.

Always a DragonSlayer. Always at war with the Red Devil.
Your neighbor, your family member, and always, your friend.

I am a Firefighter.