A Special Thanksgiving “Thanks” to Our Amazing Emergency Responders

Driving through one of Los Angeles’ many canyons recently, I came across an unfortunate accident. A car had crashed headlong into the side of the mountain. It was awful. First responders were already on the scene: half a dozen firefighters were maneuvering stretchers down the gully to the injured people. It was nothing like on TV. It was ugly, laborious, the firefighters had to sweat and strain to get the injured up and out. Paramedics arrived shortly thereafter, affixed tubes and breathing apparatus and other necessary life-saving equipment to the injured as they were loaded onto the paramedics’ truck. Traffic was held up what felt like forever until sufficient police back-up could arrive to safely manage the necessary detour.

Once again, I was reminded of how amazing our emergency responders are, be they police officers, firefighters, paramedics, or members of our armed forces called out for such duty, as in the case of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. For example, the unexpected sight of a convoy of Arkansas Game and Fish officers driving down to Florida with fuel, coolers, boats and ATVs for Hurricane Irma victims.

It may seem strange to dedicate a Thanksgiving post to emergency responders, but that is exactly what I am doing. For as easy as it is to forget about emergency responders when there isn’t a crisis going on, they are miracle workers when there is.

Without a word of complaint, emergency responders dive into situations that would terrify most of us, and often at the risk of their own lives. In doing so, they rescue countless individuals who would otherwise perish in flame, flood or other disasters.

The Federal response to current crises is staggering. Take a quick look at the FEMA website if you’d like an idea of the magnitude of the humanitarian response. There is far too much for me to include in this brief post.

But beyond the response to major events, our emergency responders are there – morning, noon and night – for whatever, whenever and wherever they are needed. Which is why thinking of them at Thanksgiving, being grateful, whatever your political persuasion, for a governmental system that has made possible such life-saving efforts, is so important.

Personally, I take cookies to my local fire station every Thanksgiving. It isn’t much, I know, but it’s what I can think to do to express my gratitude for their “being there” in every sense of the term.

So in addition to my thanks this Thanksgiving for the many blessings in my life, for my friends, family, and furry “kids,” I will give thanks to these courageous individuals who give so selflessly of themselves that we may – hopefully – live, even when life goes terribly awry.