You hear their siren during training nights.
You see them dressed up in parades and special events around the community.
And if the unthinkable happens and there’s a fire in your building or you’re in a car accident, they’re often the first people you see.
But so much of who firefighters are and why they earn our everlasting respect is because of things we can’t see or hear.
Volunteers in our community and in communities big and small all across this country give of themselves selflessly to make our towns, villages and cities safer. They sacrifice their lives to save others while they’re on duty, and on top of that, they sacrifice time with their families, sleep and much more.
They are on 24/7 standby, 365 days a year. They are ready and willing to leave their families at a moment’s notice to risk their lives on a call.
They put in countless hours of training to make sure they have the knowledge and skills they need to respond to whatever comes their way — and those calls are wide-ranging, and they come at all hours. Our local firefighters could find themselves at a structure fire, a chimney fire, a brush fire, a car fire and any manner of fire, and they are often called upon to assist at motor vehicle accidents.
They never hesitate to help, and for that, we are extremely grateful.
This week is Fire Prevention Week across Canada, and it is the one time of year we pause to think about just how important firefighters are in our lives and how much we depend on their tireless, dedicated service. We should, of course, express our gratitude more than just once a year, but it’s something. We hope our firefighters feel appreciated today, this week and every day. We thank them for being there for us when we need them, and for being ready when we don’t need them. We also thank their families for sharing their loved ones with us.
— The Chronicle