First Responders

To become a fireman, policeman or paramedic means facing danger an a daily basis. It takes a special person to take such a life path. It takes a special person to face danger on a daily basis, yet they keep going. It takes a special person to go off to work not knowing if he or she will be alive at the end of the workshift. But there are thousands of these heroes among us. And they are called first responders.

They are the first to respond to any emergency, might that be fire, medical, criminal or any other type where immediate help is needed. They don't hesitate, they come to help, to intervene. Most of the time they are successful. I don't know the statistics but I am sure that since they know what they are doing they succeed.

It is very sad when their interference, their help ends in tragedy. But, and here is the but it should not be a surprise. These people are aware of the dangers their chosen line of work holds. They are aware of the possibility that any day might end in tragedy. Yet, they keep on going and they keep doing their jobs.

There are danger junkies who love the adrenaline rush such situations create. I don't think these people fall into that category. They just do their job because they want to help where help is needed.

Now, why am I writing this? Because of the big thing that is made about the death of first responders. On the 9/11 memorial the death of the first responders was emphasized. Why? They knew what they got into. The innocent office workers who died there did not.. The firemen and policemen who went to help did because it was their job to face danger. I went to work there planning to sit at my desk and do whatever I was supposed to do, and not to run for my life.

I was lucky. I ran and I am here today. Not everyone was that lucky. But to make such a big deal about loss of the first responders, I think is a little unfair. It is very sad that 2,606 innocent people died because of what happened including about 410 first responders, but to overemphasize the smaller  statistics over the other is, in my opinion is totally unfair.