As a firefighter there are many things that keep us, going. Like seeing a house that was sure to be lost by fire, be saved so that the family can have another Christmas in their home. Or seeing a life that has just breathed its last breath, come to life with the air from your own lungs. It is a gratifying feeling to see things change for the better because you are there and have the skill and knowledge to make a difference. It is most often seen by us, that the bystanders see us do things they do not understand, like breaking open the roof of their home to get the toxic air out so the firefighters can see and the victims can breathe. To them it is damage, to us it is as if God has opened the sky to let us work. The one thing that no one ever sees, is the one thing that keeps us all going are the people behind the scenes. Those people are our Mothers and Fathers, the ones who gave us the gift of life so that we can give the hope for life. They are the ones whom we devote our Love and caring nature to. They are the Flames behind the Firefighter.

Author: Chief Jeff A. Stricklin