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Friday, September 9, 2011

Remembering Heroes


As you may know by now I am a fireman’s wife, and VERY PROUD to be one.  With the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaching the media is in a frenzy.  Press coverage of memorial ceremonies, interviews with survivors, remembering those lost.  All of this is great, and sad.  Great because it is putting the sacrifices of many back into the thoughts of many, hopefully reminding us not to take so much for granted.  Sad because this tragedy happened in the first place.  Though there have been some things that have just pissed me off. 

First after 9/11 everyone wanted to become a firefighter (or a police officer) and cities were flooded with applications whenever there was an opening.  The main reason, so they could feel like a hero because that is the image 9/11 portrayed (which in my opinion is so true – my husband and all firefighters are definitely my heroes and the bravest of the brave).  So much spotlight was on firefighters that the jobs were good and pay was good.  Though, a few years later everyone forgot, America went into a recession and since firefighting is a local government job the raises stopped and training was cut back.  There was just no money, and there still isn’t.  The only raises my husband has got in the last 5 years have been training related (and I know many jobs were affected by this but I am just speaking of firefighting). 

Most firefighters are also EMTs, and usually more than that, Paramedics.  A paramedic makes as many life changing decisions in the field and can administer almost as many drugs in the field as an ER doctor, yet they don’t get paid nearly as much.

It’s not about the money, firemen do their job because it’s a calling and they love what they do.  But it just feels like after the dust settled they were forgotten about, and I thought from day one us as Americans said “Never Forget”.   


This leads to the second thing about the 10th Anniversary that pisses me off.  One of the “Fireman’s Wife” blogs I read Fire Wife Katie posted a link to her husband’s blog as he discusses the fact that the firefighters/EMTs/police officers who survived rescuing so many out of the Twin Towers were told they could not come to the memorial at Ground Zero, and how he feels.  Another one will be held for them at a later date…and why you ask?  Because there will be enough people there such as politicians and all their security detail (that they really do need because most of us want to whip them all out and start over).  What a slap in the face!  The concern is crowd control…well damnit they ARE crowd control, I think they will know how to act!  Yet they will be using all of the NYPD, and I’m sure FDNY to PROTECT those assholes who said they couldn’t come. 

So I guess to have a point of this entry:


Remember those firefighters/EMTs/police officers who ran in those Twin Towers and the Pentagon, risking their lives to save others as the buildings crumbled down around them.  Remember those on Flight 93 who gave their lives, not letting more disaster happen.  And remember the military who went to fight an endless war.

           

1 comments:

Tia

i think firefighters are some of the bravest men (and women) in the world. and you're right, people tend to forget... and that is very sad. because not everyone is cut out for that job, and we should continue to honor those that choose to put their lives in danger to save others. xoxo

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