When It Comes to ‘First Responders’ — Just Stop!
By Stephanie Bertorelli
Clash Daily Guest Contributor
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am quite ready for this week to be OVER!
By nature, I am a news hound but especially after that fateful Tuesday morning in September in 2001. I feel as though I have watched or read news 24/7 for years.
Obviously this week has been no different. From the moment my phone began receiving texts about the bombing in Boston on Monday, I think I’ve been away from a news source for about 12 minutes. I am on information overload.
But no matter the story of tragedy this week, one simple fact remains. There is a special breed of people that are always going to be on the scene. No, not the news reporters as you might have assumed from my lead up to this statement.
First responders.
Firefighters, police, paramedics, doctors, nurses, service men running in a race and everyday people.
These special people are willing to risk harm to themselves in order to help their fellow man. These people run into burning areas while everyone else runs away.
In Boston, there were countless stories of people rushing to help as soon as the bombs exploded.
In West, TX, the firefighters were on scene and gave their lives when the plant exploded.
In Cambridge, MA, one police office gave his life and another is fighting valiantly to live after an interaction with the Boston bombing suspects.
Everyone in our country should be heralding these brave men and women who serve the greater good of our world everyday.
Stop complaining about the officer in the intersection who is directing traffic at a pace that seems too slow for your busy life – that man or woman is risking his life standing there in the face of oncoming traffic to make sure that everyone else arrives safely.
Stop complaining that firefighters who park their fire truck in front of the grocery store are misappropriating tax dollars to do their shopping – these men and women stay within easy access distance of that emergency vehicle so that they can be ready at a moment’s notice to fight the flames in your home, your business or even a burning fertilizer plant.
On the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, I searched for some way to let those first responders know that I hadn’t forgotten, I decided to bake cookies and deliver them to the local fire house.
