What is it to be a Firefighter?

We are always asked what it is that drives us to do what we do. It’s not just about all the training, checking and re-checking our equipment, or riding through the streets with sirens screaming. It is about making a little kid’s day because you let them look at the rig. It’s about the unspoken thank you, you get when you save someone. It is about providing a service to your community that gives you a sense of accomplishment that you have done something great. To be a firefighter you accept the burden of loss that comes with the job. Being a firefighter you also get to experience the greatest high of saving a life. Firefighters are an eternal beacon of hope and humanity. Few others can claim to have such a high prestige. Firefighters are some of the few brave souls that dedicate their lives to the betterment of their community and are willing to lay down their life for a complete stranger without a second thought. What is it to be a firefighter? A firefighter is everyone’s silent hero and it is that which drives us.