Firefighters and All First Responders Deserve Our Respect and Support

Two firefighters lost their lives yesterday in the Station Fire in Southern California. The circumstances of their deaths are still being investigated, but they died while performing their duties. My prayers and condolences go out to their families and their comrades. Other responders airlifted burn victims - who did not follow evacuation orders and tried to wait out the fire - in an outdoor hot tub - to area hospitals for treatment.

As devastating as it must be to wonder if your house will survive or fall victim to a fire, how much more so devastating must it be to receive the notification that your loved one did not survive because they did not evacuate in time, or tried to rescue someone who did not evacuate in time?

First responders - police, firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, sheriff deputies, highway patrol officers, military - report to work prepared to leave it all on the line. Their families watch them go to work with that knowledge, but wait for them to come back home. Things can be replaced - a home, furniture, clothing, jewels, cars - but have you ever seen any responder's family go and pick up a replacement for their loved one at a store in the mall??  Whether fire, hurricane, tornado, flood -- don't place others in jeopardy by staying too long in the danger zone. They are responders. They should not have to become victims.

www.flickr.com/photos/lafd/  Please, just think about it. And while you are thinking about it, think of the families of the lost firefighters, and all of the responders in and out of our country who are ready to leave it out there for all of us.


                                                                                                                                                                    
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