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Who Can Our Kids Look Up To?
Our heroes of yesterday have lost their luster Almost daily the headlines remind us how unwise it is to put faith in sports legends Or movie stars Or politicians Or captains of industry So where are the role models of today for our sons and daughters? We have suggestions There is a special group of people many tend to take for granted There is no special day set aside in their honor, that we know of No TV series dedicated to their heroism No organized national recognition of importance to ever community in the US - big or small Without fanfare, they do their job Often times putting their lives on the line in the process There is much to admire about these men and women From part-time rural volunteer to full-time big-city professional From the trainee to the Chief From the firefighter to the fire marshal To even qualify for this difficult and demanding work, they have to be physically strong Dedicated Intelligent Resourceful Highly motivated And, yes unselfish They're certainly not in it for the money At time when many bemoan the lack of heroes, we suggest all of us look down the street to the men and women who protect you and your neighborhood from the ever-present dangers of life Those role models for our kids? They've been there all along (Author Unknown) |
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A Fireman's Prayer
When I'm called to duty god wherever flames may rage give me strength to save a life whatever be its age Help me to embrace a little child before it is too late or save an older person from the horror of that fate Enable me to be alert to hear the weakest shout and quickly and efficiently to put the fire out I want to fill my calling and to give the best in me to guard my neighbor and protect his property And if according to your will I have to lose my life bless with your protecting hand my children and my wife
(Author Unknown) |
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My Brother has fallen
My Brother has fallen; no, I don't know his name Have not the same parents still family all the same He lives in this town, I live in another, It doesn't really matter 'cause this man is my Brother My Brother I call him, yet I've never seen his face I have brothers and sisters all over the place! You see I am a Firefighter and our families are one Around the world, a brotherhood of unity, A closeness, a bond, most people don't see I'll watch his back; She'll watch mine, "You go, I go," time after time His family's my family, Her family theirs, We're part of one family where everyone cares, I'll look after your kids, please look in on my wife, Should that day finally come when I laid down my life We dedicate our lives helping our fellow man, Living day after day doing all that we can, Where ever we're needed whether nighttime or day, To save the life of another we'll step in harms way My Brother has fallen doing what he loved best, And among the Honored, he now stands with the rest For a mile in dress uniform here everyone stands, For my Brother has fallen, God into your hands (Author Unknown)
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What Is A Fireman? He's the guy next door - a man's man with the memory of a little boy He has never gotten over the excitement of engines and sirens and danger He's a guy like you and me with warts and worries and unfulfilled dreams Yet he stands taller than most of us He's a fireman He puts it all on the line when the bell rings A fireman is at once the most fortunate and the least fortunate of men He's a man who saves lives because he has seen too much death He's a gentle man because he has seen the awesome power of violence out of control He's responsive to a child's laughter because his arms have held too many small bodies that will never laugh again He's a man who appreciates the simple pleasures of life - hot coffee held in numb, unbending fingers - a warm bed for bone and muscle compelled beyond feeling - the camaraderie of brave men - the divine peace and selfless service of a job well done in the name of all men He doesn't wear buttons or wave flags or shout obscenities When he marches, it is to honor a fallen comrade He doesn't preach the brotherhood of man He lives it (Author Unknown) |
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A Volunteer Firefighter's Prayer
God; please, as you tuck them in tonight, Keep the children safe Let me not have to hear their cries From a careless act of fate Keep their parents all aware, the fragileness Of each young soul Don't let them waiver from their role of Watching out for them Will not, a fire in the night and drag me From my slumber To listen to the grieving hearts or the Gratitude of others I don't want to hear the siren for an Auto wreck tonight I've untangled enough twisted metal With the Jaws of Life And when I wake tomorrow, grant me patience When I see, A mother driving with her child Without a safety seat Grant me wisdom in the situations I might face with each new day, In case, by chance, there might be a newborn on the way Just in case I lose the fight for someone's Life I battled, Remind me that I'm fallible, just as human As the rest Give me courage to move on although It may not be enough And let me always give my best (Author Unknown)
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A Fireman’s Wish…..
" I Wish You Could " I wish you could see the sadness of a businessman as his livelihood goes up in flames , Or that family returning home, only to find their house and belongings damaged or lost for good. I wish you could know What it is like to search a burning bedroom for trapped children, flames rolling above your head, your palms and knees burning as you crawl, the floor sagging under your weight as the kitchen beneath you burns. I wish you could comprehend A wife's horror at 3 A.M. as I check her husband of forty years for a pulse and find none. I start CPR anyway, hoping against the odds to bring him back, Knowing intuitively it is too late. But wanting his wife and family to know everything possible was done to try to save his life. I wish you could know The unique smell of burning insulation, the taste of soot-filled mucus, the feeling of intense heat through your turnout gear, the sound of flames crackling, And the eeriness of being able to see absolutely nothing in dense smoke-sensations that I have become too familiar with. I wish you could understand How it feels to go to work in the morning after having spent most of the night, hot and soaking wet at a multiple alarm fire. I wish you could read My mind as I respond to a building fire, 'Is this a false alarm or a working, breathing fire? How is the building constructed? What hazards await me? Is anyone trapped or are they all out?' Or to an EMS call, 'what is wrong with the patient? Is it minor or life threatening? Is the caller really in distress or is he waiting for us with a 2x4 or a gun?' I wish you could be In the emergency room as the doctor pronounces dead the beautiful little five-year old girl that I have been trying to save during the past twenty-five minutes, who will never go on her first date or say the words, " I love you Mommy," again. I wish you could know The frustration I feel in my personal vehicle or the cab of the engine, the driver with his foot pressing down hard on the pedal, my arm tugging again and again at the Air horn chain, as you fail to yield right-of-way at an intersection or in traffic. When you need us, however, your first comment upon our arrival will be, "It took you forever to get here!" I wish you could read My thoughts as I help extricate a girl of teenage years from the mangled remains of her automobile, 'what if this were my sister, my girlfriend, or a friend? What were her parents' reactions going to be as they open the door to find a police officer with hat in hand ? I wish you could know How it feels to walk in the back door and greet my parents and family, not having the heart to tell them that I nearly did not come back home from this last call. I wish you could feel My hurt as people verbally, and sometimes physically, abuse us or belittle what we do, or as they express their attitudes of,” It will never happen to me”. I wish you could realize The physical, emotional, and mental drain of missed meals, lost sleep, and Forgone social activities, in addition to all the tragedy my eyes have seen. I wish you could know The brotherhood and self-satisfaction of helping save a life or preserving someone's Property, of being there in times of crisis, or creating order from total CHAOS. I wish you could understand What it feels like to have a little boy tugging on your arm and asking, "Is my Mommy O.K.?" Not even being able to look in his eyes without Tears falling from your own and not knowing what to say. Or to have to hold back a long-time friend who watches his buddy having rescue breathing done on him as they Take him away in the ambulance. You knowing all along he did not have his seat belt on. Sensations that I have become too familiar with. Unless you have lived This kind of life, you will never truly understand or appreciate who I am, what we are, or what our job really means to us. I WISH YOU COULD! (Author Unknown) |
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You complain about me wasting your tax money, but don’t understand when I say I can’t tie equipment up pumping out your pool. You say I don’t know my job, but when you smell smoke at night and call me, suddenly I’m an expert. You complain because my boss lets me leave work for a fire and doesn’t let you leave for your social club meeting but you forget the night the plant caught fire and I saved your job. You say I’m only in it for fun, but you fail to see my sickness and exhaustion following a fire. You say I like seeing injuries and that death doesn’t bother me, but how could you understand my sleepless nights because of the life I couldn’t save. I pray that you and others in the community never need my services, and all I ask in return is that you pray for me while I do my job. I’m not a perfect person and I’ll never say I am, but, yes Mr. Citizen, I’m a Redneck Volunteer Fireman, and pretty proud of it. (Author Unknown) |
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A special kind of woman; a cut above the rest, that's A FIREFIGHTER'S WIFE, rating her among the best. How many good byes are shouted, without a fond embrace, as duty steals her man, for the danger he must face. How many meals are ruined... or tender moments disturbed, by the wail of a distant signal, sparking loyalty answered. It's a devil of a job, for an angel like this, who... for the love of her man, must forsake that kiss. She can run a garden tractor; even paint a room in need, how she can stretch a dollar is a miracle indeed. She is mother, lover, chauffer and nurse, a living symbol of: "for better for worse." Rich is the man, reaping his rewards in life, who chose to be the other half of
A FIREFIGHTER'S WIFE.
~Unknown Author~
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The Firefighter’s 23rd Psalm The Lord is my Chief He has chosen me to serve. He leads me to still the fires Raging around me. He restores my soul to fight Even when all seems lost. He has prepared for me a place in life, Devoted to service, honor, joy and fellowship. He appoints my soul with courage in The presence of my enemy fire. Yes, even though I have chosen to Walk through life in the shadow of death, I will fear no fire, for He is with me. His strength will comfort me. And when life’s final alarm for me has sounded I will dwell in the station house of The Lord forever. Amen.
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I am very dedicated to my work. I wear firefighter shirts every day, even when I'm not on duty. The fire department is my second home, and my second family. It often seems as if my life revolves around the fire department, but it means nothing compared to my little girl. I am normally a very friendly person, but if you hurt my little girl you will make me mad. I know my little girl is growing up, even if I don't like it. She seems to like you, so Ill tolerate you dating her, but here are a few things for you to think about while you're with her: First of all, I go into burning buildings to save people that I've never even seen before, you cant imagine how protective I am of my little girl. I once broke a mans sternum by accident while doing CPR to save his life. If that's how I help people what do you think I do when I'm pissed off? I investigate arson fires. I know exactly what clues to look for to prove it was arson so I also know how to make sure nobody can tell how a fire started... and I know where you live. Remember Backdraft? I've worked more car accidents than you'll ever see; the sight of blood doesn't bother me one little bit. Its normal for me to carry chainsaws, axes, and various other extremely sharp tools in my car. Touch my little girl and me and you take a little ride. When we burn down a house for training, nobody ever looks in the closets. I use the Jaws of Life to tear doors off wrecked cars. They cut though solid metal like a hot knife through butter. So watch your paws or get the jaws. Sirens and air horns can really muffle the sounds of someone screaming. Most of my friends are cops, paramedics, or firefighters. WE ARE 911. If you make me mad who do you think you're going to call for help? I have access to explosives. I am well trained in emergency medicine. I know exactly which arteries are the easiest to sever and which ones bleed the most. (Remember all the sharp tools?) Even though my little girl insists that you are a nice guy and not like most other guys, I know better. I was once your age; I know EXACTLY what you're thinking. Because of that I already have plenty of reasons to not like you. It wouldn't take much at all to push me over the edge, and I just sharpened my axe. So if you want to date my little girl you better keep these things in mind. Firemen are protective by nature, and there is nothing we are more protective of than our little girls. Whenever you're alone with her, you better remember that someday you may be alone with me!
(Author Unknown)
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MY DAD'S A FIREMAN, and proud am I, indeed, For he is someone special, whose wisdom I still need. Dad and I are buddies and, to me, that means a lot, A bond to last forever, with love that forms the knot.
He took me to parades, when other kids stayed home, And he taught me how to play baseball, on a field without a dome. He showed me how to fix things, even let me use his tools, What I learned from Dad~they don't teach in schools.
The examples that he set, I follow everyday. Placing God and Country first, in showing me the way. Precious are those years, now tucked away with time, Tenderly remembered: I, as the leaf~He, as the vine.
Dad, hear me as I say~"I love you", man-to-man, And, I'm proud to tell the world, MY DAD'S A FIREMAN.
Author Unknown |
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Website created and maintained by : Sussex Fire Department, Inc. |
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“DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM ?” I stand tall and proud all dressed in black, waiting for the call to make the attack. DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM ? I’m a simple man and I don't ask for a lot. A little wave or a tip of the hat , will go a long way to show some respect , for which some people seem to neglect. DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM ? I do not wear a cape or have a secret hide out. But , when my kids are asked to name their favorite SUPER HERO , they will always respond with “MY MOM or DAD”. DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM ? Another birthday, anniversary, or Christmas dinner I have missed, but my family does not mind, I do not understand, I guess it is because they feel so blessed. DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM ? On a summer afternoon I march through a crowd, I hear cheers and applause that are all so loud. DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM ? I have many brothers and sisters and most I have never met. But should I need help, one call is all it would take; they would come in a hurry no matter what is at stake. DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM ? And if by fate, should a brother or sister fall, I too shall stand in line to “HONOR ONE AND ALL”. DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM ?
I’M A FIREMAN !!!
Robert D. Regavich |