Growing up, I remember waking up to the sound of my dad’s keys jingling on the front door shortly after 8 a.m. My brother, sister, and I would actually get up and run out of our beds and take turns hugging our dad after not seeing him from somewhere between two to four days. Today, my dad still comes home around that time, but as we have gotten older, the three of us stay in bed trying to sleep a little longer.

There are actually a lot of things many people dismiss when it comes to firemen. A firefighter might come home to his or her family feeling dismal. This could be because they are both physically and emotionally exhausted from ongoing calls the night before. A fireman might return to his or her family irritable, annoyed, frustrated. Just imagine the type of events firemen have witnessed on calls, whether it’s medical or a fire. Firemen put other people first, before their needs such as sleep, food, showering, etc. They will literally stop whatever it is they are doing to leave the building in under 90 seconds.

I used to wake up to the smell of bagels and cream cheese or glazed donuts. My dad has always been one to bring home breakfast after a long shift at the firehouse. As a child, I thought it was just my dad being nice to buy us breakfast. As a college student, I’ve come to realize that maybe my dad brings home breakfast because he is happy to be home with his family who are healthy and safe, when he might have been with a family in distress the night before. I’m grateful for the little things my dad does like take me out to lunch one on one when I’m home from school, bring me and my brother and sister breakfast home on the way home from work, or try to organize a nice family dinner.

I am grateful for my dad because he honestly is a hero to me, and to so many others. My dad’s profession allows him to help so many different people. His profession has taught him to break down social barriers, and put aside race, religion, sexual orientation, and so on because he has one goal- to bring that person to a healthy, safe state.

I have never really taken into account how much my dad has witnessed being a firefighter. He was a part of the FEMA team in 2001 when 9/11 occurred. He flew out to New York and went through the aftermath of the devastating terrorist attacks at the Twin Towers. It takes a special type of person to be capable of both witnessing, seeing, and experiencing such a disastrous scene. All of the firemen, policemen, and volunteers put their own health at risk for the sake of others. I could never imagine what he and so many others have been through, but for this reason, firefighters truly are heroes to our society all across the world.

My dad has a sense of humor he has at home and of course at the firehouse. Not only does my dad care for his family at home, but his family at the firehouse as well. On each shift, the men and women on duty take turns cooking dinners and care for each other like a family would. They have a yearly Christmas party for all of the families, Toys for Tots, the Chili Cook-Off, the Pancake Breakfast, and other events I remember going to for years.

Firefighters make great fathers because through their line of work, they come home valuing time with family. They are extra caring towards their children when one is sick or injured. Firefighters try their best to spend time with their families because they are at work for days at a time. Through their career, they have learned to be the most selfless type of people, always putting others first. They are extra protective over their families because they know how fast things can change. I think that firefighters are very protective and appreciative fathers (and mothers) because of all that they have experienced on duty. Firefighters have not only their families, but families of others in their best interest at heart.