5 amazing reasons to honor brave firefighters in America

Everywhere you look, all around us, are everyday heroes.

From school teachers to those in the military, to emergency first responders. The world is made up of incredible and heroic individuals that, if you ask them, are only doing their jobs.

But firefighters are perhaps the most heroic of them all. Because let’s face it, willingly running into a burning building takes a lot of courage, and that alone makes them worth honoring.

But there are a few other reasons, and risks that are taken, that makes firefighters stand out amongst their peers. In fact, to say that firefighters are real-life versions of the characters we cheer for in movies and television would be a fair assessment.

So why are the men and women that make up the fire protection district in your area worth honoring? And are brave firefighters as great as society tells us they are?

In this article, we’ll give you a few reasons why firefighters are some of the most heroic individuals in our society. Also, we’ll discuss why we should all take the time to thank them for their service when possible.

1. Firefighters Risk Their Lives Daily

We’ve already touched briefly on the risks that firefighters face on a daily basis. But it’s worth diving deeper into those risks if you want to gain a true understanding of what being a firefighter is all about.

Again, firefighters put their lives on the line every day by placing themselves in dangerous situations. In fact, in 2018 alone, 84 firefighters in the United States lost their lives while on the job.

Those numbers don’t account for the countless that were injured while doing whatever it takes to help complete strangers.

From a gas leak to a burning building, firefighters put themselves in harm’s way in order to save lives. And this alone is reason enough to honor the men and women who wear the uniform.

2. They Inspire All Local Citizens

If you ever venture out into your neighborhood on the night of Halloween, odds are you’re going to see quite a few children dressed up as firefighters. Because while there is a multitude of heroes from films and television shows that are worth dressing up as on October 31st, none of them are as real, and as easy to connect to, like firefighters.

And children aren’t the only ones inspired by their local firefighters, the adults are, too. You will often see news stories about everyday citizens risking their lives to save others. It’s safe to assume that they take inspiration from those who put on the uniform and do that on a consistent basis.

3. Firefighters Are Often the First to Respond

We’ve all driven past a car accident that has only happened and seen a firetruck pulling up on the scene. That’s because firefighters are often the first to respond to non-fire emergencies, like car accidents.

Firefighters are trained to be excellent first responders in emergency medical situations. In fact, it’s required that all firefighters are CPR certified, and thus, their arrival to the scene of a bad car wreck can often save lives.

Acts like this are why coins for fire fighters, as well as National Firefighter Day (May 4th), exist. Because these everyday heroes need to be honored and appreciated daily, and it’s our duty as citizens to ensure that they are.

4. Most Firefighters are Volunteers

Did you know that around 70% of firefighters in the United States are volunteers? That’s right, the majority of our nation’s heroes do it for no other reason than the simple desire to help others.

Putting yourself at risk, as firefighters do daily, is an extremely honorable thing to do. And the fact that so many do so for no pay is incredible to think about, and a testament to the mental makeup of the average firefighter.

This is why restaurants often feed firefighters, and other first responders, for free or at a discount. And if you ever see a firefighter out in public, and you can afford to do so, consider buying their lunch as a sign of your appreciation.

5. They Often Struggle with PTSD

While the physical dangers are very much real, perhaps even more dangerous are the mental dangers that come with performing the tasks required of a firefighter. Constant exposure to severely injured individuals, as well as traumatic situations, is not good for your mental health.

These life-changing situations often lead firefighters to suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Willingly exposing yourself to that kind of mental anguish in order to help others is pretty heroic, to say the least.

5 Reasons to Honor Brave Firefighters

Well, there you have it! Those are 5 reasons why you should honor the brave firefighters in your area whenever given the chance to do so.

Remember, the physical and mental damage that firefighters go through is only one of the many things that make them heroes. Without them, we’d have no one to call on during an emergency, which is quite scary to think about.

And the fact that most firefighters in the United States are volunteers is mind-boggling. Being brave enough to run into a burning building without needing or expecting anything in return is a true act of heroism.

All this, combined with the fact that they’re often the first to respond in an emergency, is why they are worth honoring on a daily basis.