Who are Volunteer Firefighters?
They are your neighbor, the " guy/girl next door "
They are husband, father or son, wife, mother or daughter
They are the laborer, the store owner, the corporate executive,
They are the jogger, sportsfan, hobbyist or handyman....
They are just like everyone else, save for one quality...
They are one in one thousand who will risk their life to save yours;
You'll see them waiting for the train and at the little league game,
You'll see them in every house of worship,
You'll see them in town, proudly wearing the emblem which shows they are a member of a fraternity dedicated to preserving life,
Their car is the one backed into the driveway with the blue light on the dashboard,
Their keys hang by the door and a pair of boots stand at their bed,
They take their pager everywhere for fear they will be missed when they are needed;
They won't complain much about life, they've seen too much suffering for that,
They'll tell you the funny side and avoid the stories of pain,
They'll be silent during the national anthem and salute when the flag goes by,
They'll refer to their comrades as " brothers" and defend their reputaion,
They'll sacrifice the best of times at the sound of the alarm,
They'll return home to many cold dinners and " cold shoulders" too,
They will be burned, cut and bruised, their life will be shortened,
For all of this they will receive " no pay"
Their only reward will be self esteem,
You may never know them, but.....
They'll be there when you need them
---Unknown
