We all know that being a firefighter is a dangerous job. We view the people who do it as heroes; that’s one reason every little boy (at one time or another) wants to be a fireman when he grows up.
But this year the danger seems to be out of control – too many good men and women are losing their lives.
Texas has lost 13 firefighters in the line of duty so far this year, and –depending upon how you define “line of duty” that number could be 18 or more. There were seven individuals not included in that 13 who responded to the scene in West, Texas, and were also killed by the explosion. They may have been trying to contain the fire, or helping to evacuate residents when the massive explosion hit. Five of these individuals were trained volunteer firefighters, but may not meet the U.S. Fire Administration’s criteria for an “on-duty” fatality because they may not have been responding in an official capacity.
No matter how you count them, the number is way too high.
Then Sunday, 19 men from a 20-man crew known as the Granite Mountain Hotshots died in a fire near Yarnell, Arizona. They were an elite unit of wildfire specialists who apparently got caught when winds shifted. There will be a thorough investigation, but how it actually happened may never be known.
Most of my posts have some opinion or conclusion or attempt at humor - This time I don’t know what to say except God bless those who run toward danger, and for God’s sake, be careful out there.
No comments:
Post a Comment