Thanks to firefighters
The radio chirps to life at 3 a.m., a fireman is grabbing his gear and heading to his engine that will take him to a raging fire.
He can be doing anything from holding a hose with a pressure of 120-130 pounds, chainsawing a tree down, or just using hand tools to remove hazardous material. Is it an adrenaline rush to be facing a wall of flames that is 40-100 feet high? Do they put their lives on the line working 24 hours on, then 24 hours off for 22 days straight before they “reset?”
Some firemen choose to see the fire to the end, finish what they started. Then there is the “mop up” after the fire rages through, making sure it doesn’t restart. The crushing faces of the people who have been evacuated and had to leave their pets behind that didn’t make it.
While we are thanking the firemen, let’s not forget the wives or partners who are left behind knowing that “Yes, they put their lives on the line.” That is their job and thank you for doing such a great job!
Carla Lalonde, Coarsegold
This story was originally published September 3, 2015 at 6:56 AM with the headline "Thanks to firefighters."