Thank you – a tribute to the firefighters

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Published on Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Submitted by Jim Cockburn

The Neepawa Press

To the men and women who risk their lives daily to keep our homes and communities safe from the damaging and potentially fatal effects of fire, they deserve a special tribute.

Men and women from the community come together and selflessly volunteer. Whether they be mechanics or plumbers, they leave their primary jobs when they hear the siren and then go on to save lives in fires and more commonly, in car accidents. More often than not, they tell you how much they love their job. Do we realize how conscientious and dedicated these public servants are to their communities? Many volunteer firefighters provide their valuable services just wanting to give back to their towns, while receiving on the job training. We all know of someone who has left our community fire department and has gone on to a permanent occupation with other fire departments and emergency medical services. Needless to say, fighting fires is intense, difficult and very dangerous work.

Firefighters typically possess interpersonal and social skills, as they need to work closely with their colleagues in order to form a united team. The common obstacles they face and the numerous hours they spend training together, these professionals often establish bonds that rival those typically found amongst siblings.

Firefighters are committed to their jobs and take the work of protecting their communities and each other very seriously. They often volunteer their precious time to schools and other organizations in order to help educate others about the dangers of fires. These people are passionate about their jobs. I don't know about you, but I think that's pretty awesome. Both that men and women give of their time to the community in such a selfless way and that their employers are understanding enough to give the fire personnel the time off.

In closing, I have always found that the two most important words - in anyone's language is “thank you”.