Once you hear the tones drop the first thing you do is bow your head, or at least you should, to protect the ones that risk their lives in order to save the ones who need it.
Living in a small town has always been quite the adventure, but my heart became whole when I decided to become a part of something big.
I'm a little biased, but joining our local fire department's auxiliary has always been one of the best decisions I made when I became of age to join.
Being a junior member I have learned a lot about the men and women in our firehouse. So this is why you should thank them...
It's 7 p.m. and they're about to bow their heads to pray for dinner, but the tones drop so now his or her family is bowing their heads for them to make it back safely.
It's 2 p.m. and it's his or her son's first birthday party, but the tones drop and s/he's cranking up their truck to make it to the station in time to only find someone thrown out of their vehicle after an accident occurred.
It's 3 a.m. and they finally were able to fall asleep after transporting someone close to their heart to the hospital only to find out another call came and they're still on duty...so that's another restless night in the book.
It's 5 a.m. on a Sunday morning and they just got back to their spouse from a structure fire and they still both make it to church at 9 a.m. to thank God for letting each other make it through the difficult times.
It's viewing blood off of someone's body from hitting a tree and they didn't make it.
It's gearing up properly to save the little boy trapped inside of his own home, only to find out they were ten seconds too late.
It's helping someone's grandma who fell in her bathtub only to find out she had a heart attack and was now trying to keep her life on track.
It's having a heart so big, they put others first.
It's being able to say "I work voluntarily, because I love what I do."
Thank them when they are dirty and sweaty.
Thank them when they are restless and exhausted.
Thank them when it's 3 a.m. and they're on the way back home from saving someone's life.
Thank them when they've been pushed too far too long without someone saying thank you even when they don't require someone to say it.
Thank them when they're working around the clock and are on duty as soon as they get off work.
Thank them when they're holding boots and buckets for a bucket drive, even if you don't have the extra money to put in the bucket rolling down your window to thank them is simply enough.
Thank them when they're studying their books and each truck to know what equipment is properly used at each time of need.
Most importantly, thank them because they have seen and done things some people would never have the guts to do. Helping paramedics with patients that are dying in a vehicle accident, pulling people out of their house when it is on fire, and doing many more obstacles.
Most firefighters have seen a house burn down, knowing the family did not deserve it happening to them. They have seen bloody heads from the person hitting the steering wheel after over correcting their vehicle. They have seen people take their last breath and as a CNA it is really hard knowing you could not do anything about it.
Firefighters are heroes. Especially when they don't expect pay, but just to give back to their community. They're a big part of my community and I am so beyond blessed to be a part of it.
When you see someone with red tags above or below their license plate, wearing a shirt with their number on it, or simply just in their turnout gear that's when you should thank them.
So here's to all of my guy and girl friends that are on a fire department, even in a different town or county, I thank you. I thank you for all of your hard work, dedication, compassion, patience, and having such a huge heart to do what you love to do.
I thank you for letting me be a part of something that I can always come back home to from college and make it feel as if I have never left. I thank you for working countless days at work and then countless nights of vehicle accidents, structure and brush fires, and many more obstacles you all face.
"Bravery is being scared to death and gearing up anyways."