Firefighters are a "Rare Breed"

Firefighters are a "Rare Breed" of people, they have a thankless job that slowly kills them with each day they pursue it. They put up with all sorts of things that other people would not allow.

Daily their lives are positioned for possible sacrifice. Even the simplest portion of their job is deadly. Their work surroundings are intolerable to the unprotected human body.

Their working hours are seemingly never ending. The conditions under which they work could only be compared to war. With each battle they fight their chances of survival become less.

As they grow older, they become injured and scarred from too many "all nighters". They become less agile and unable to perform as they did when they were "new".

Because their numbers are less now, they must adapt and assume many roles, full time warrior, part time doctor, mechanic, cook, boss, inventor, employee, mother, father, and sometimes if the budget calls for one, a "Martyr". They wear the life protecting armor of the "Firefighter Knight", the same armor that in most cases, they received when their career began.

When they are needed, they go, no questions asked, They literally sacrifice their lives for a public who, for the most part consider them a burden on the tax dollar. When conditions become the absolute worst, they are at their absolute best. Always willing to lend a hand to the less fortunate, when they themselves could use one.

Their children growing up seemingly overnight, because they missed half their lives while on duty. Birthdays, Anniversaries, Christmas, Thanksgiving, First Steps, First Ball Game, First Date. Saturday nights and Sundays all too often become just another shift. Then there's the pay, not enough money for his family to survive, so he moonlights on the off days.

He loves his family, fears God, respects his fellow firefighters. He is loyal to his department, proud of his accomplishments, and sorry for his shortcomings. He likes the simple things in life because that is usually all he has.

He never assembles in protest, but will march to honor a fallen comrade. It was once asked, "if this job is so terrible, why do they do it", answered was, "they do it because they care."

Only God knows the plans he has for each of us, but I cannot help but believe that a special place is reserved in his heart and in heaven for firefighters.