Dear Police, Fire, and EMS communities,
You are the light in the darkness. You are the hope that a worried mother searches for when her child is ill. You drop your life to help save others from the worse moments in life or to help celebrate the best moments.
There is never a complaint about being woken up at 3 a.m. during a blizzard to help someone cold and stranded. Or to help a family that has lost everything after a tornado sweep through in the night.You get up every day and brace yourself for the unknown that will happen during your 8, 12 or 24-hour shift.
You miss holidays, birthdays, ball games, dance recitals, and your kids growing up. You do a job that many in our society frown upon. Yet they are the first to complain when you are not there in time to save a loved one. You take pay cuts, endless nights of no sleep, and unpaid hours of training off the clock just to keep your job. When the worst calls occur, the anxiety, depression, and PTSD haunt you forever.Society is the first to judge them for being depressed or anxious, but they forget that their families also endure the same struggles.
I remember my dad receiving a horrible call years ago, and how it affect him and our family too. No one understands your job, the images that live in your mind every time you close your eyes or the passion that you have each day to help.
It is not for the money or the glory but for the love of helping someone in need. Every time a cop, firefighter, or paramedic puts on their uniforms, they are putting their lives on the line.
They are taken for granted every day and never receive a simple thank you.Next time you see a cop, medic, or firefighter, buy them a cup of coffee. Or pay for their meal or simply say “Thank you for your service.” These simple acts of kindness will be remembered and help brighten a possible horrible shift.
I am proud to be from a family of firefighters and paramedics. These brave men and women are the unforgotten heroes of our society and only are remembered on one of the worst days in American history: September 11, 2001.
Why can’t we remember them every day? They deserve it. To all the brave men and women who serve in the police, fire, EMS communities, God bless you all and thank you.
