Rescue Heroes

We've always admired and respected our Firefighters, but after yesterday's field trip to the Fire Station our appreciation has been multiplied. The Firefighters (hereafter referred to as FFs) were gracious and very informative. The thirty or so kids in our homeschool group were bouncing up and down out of sheer excitement, but the FFs were cool, collected and continually had smiles on their faces. Some of the interesting tidbits we learned:

There is a difference between a Fire Engine (which carries lots of water) and a Fire Truck (which carries ladders and is called a "rolling toolbox"). Jonathan was particularly excited to see a "Jaws of Life" up close and personal along with a Hydraulic Scissors and a Hydraulic Separator. I never realized before that he knew the names of most of the tools, probably from watching the There Goes a Fire Truck DVD umpteen times.



The FFs sleep in itty bitty bedrooms with just enough room for a single bed and wall lockers. Some homes have bigger closets than their bedrooms.

The FF rookies are not allowed into the TV room until they pass training and certain rites of passages. It's a Big Deal. :-)

There's artwork in the halls of the firehouse. But not just any artwork. Posters, photos and tapestries depicting historical fires and tributes to fallen FFs. Very sobering. One of the framed prints featured this prayer:

The Firefighter's Prayer

When I am called to duty, God, wherever flames may rage;
Give me the strength to save some life whatever be its age.
Help me 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 and 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 every neighbor and protect their property.
And if according to your will I have to lose my life,
Please bless with your protecting hand my children and my wife.

The kitchen had THREE refrigerators! The dining room table was particularly noteworthy. It was handmade and included a mosaic featuring a metal scrap from the World Trade Center post-9/11. The FFs pay for their own meals. They plan their menus and buy groceries based on a budget of $8/day per person in a city with a high cost of living. Pretty amazing when you consider that these guys are active and eat a lot!

If there is enough money left over from grocery shopping, it gets carried over to the next meal planning session. The goal of this company was to have enough money left at the end of the year to adopt a Marine family for Christmas. They are good guys!



As Firefighter Jeremy demonstrated how to put on their digs, a call came through. The FFs were needed! Before our eyes, they jumped into the Fire Truck, waved goodbye to us and siren blaring sped away to do a good work. What an exciting finale to our field trip! Hooray for our brave Firefighters! Please keep our Rescue Heroes in your prayers.

Postscript: There was a write up in Family Fun magazine about a family who delivers treats to the Fire Station on Christmas Eve much to the delight of the FFs on call. Usually the lowest guys on the totem pole are assigned to work on the holidays, and they are quite lonely as they are not able to be with their families. Alan thought this was a great idea!

"I thank my God in every remembrance of you..." Philippians 1:3