5 Reasons Why Firefighters Are Heroes And Deserve Recognition

10/12/2020 (Permalink)

We Are Faster to Any Size Disaster

Firefighters are heroes that do much more than fight fires; they give us the peace of mind that we are safe and protected from fires even when there is no present fire they are fighting. 

History of Firefighting Heroes

Since 1679 firefighters have been saving the lives of Americans. The first publicly funded fire department started in the city of Boston, Massachusetts. Through the years, their techniques have greatly enhanced saving the lives of thousands nationally each year. Americans around the country have massive amounts of respect for firefighters. But what makes a firefighter a hero? In this post, you will learn the five reasons why SERVPRO believes firefighters are heroes. 

The 5 Ways Firefighters Are Heroes? 

1. Firefighters are heroes because they inspire others
2. Firefighters are heroes because they run towards danger 
3. Firefighters are Heroes because they are scientists 
4. Firefighters are heroes because they are tenacious 
5. Firefighters are heroes because they contribute to the community

1. Firefighters Inspire Others

With Halloween right around the corner, it's hard not to think about all the costumes that little boys and girls choose to dress up as. Superheroes are known to be a popular costume amongst children. Outside of Wonder Woman, Spiderman, and Batman, we believe that firefighters are heroes without superpowers. Each year you will see children stop by your home in their plastic red firefighter hats. Why do you think that is? We believe that it is because firefighters have heroic traits that kids highly respect. Firefighters are heroes that are very inspirational. They willingly face new dangers every day. 

There is something to be said about a kid that dreams of becoming a firefighter. Fighting fire takes a special kind of person who is willing to put themselves second to save the life of others. You hear stories all the time about a firefighter running through burning buildings and cutting people out of cars after a car accident. Firefighters are heroes that experience mental and physical fatigue, causing Americans nationally to find them inspiring. 

2. Running Towards the Danger

Firefighters are heroes because they run towards danger. Fires and explosions will shake the nerves of the average individual, but not firefighters. A firefighter will put themselves in harm's way and run towards a fire or explosion. September 11, 2001, was a great example of how firefighters are heroes. 9/11 was a very significant event in American history where 343 firefighters died, saving the lives of others. The firefighters of New York were the first ones to reach the devastating scene on September 11. It is typical for firefighters to be one of the first officials to arrive at a fire or explosion scene. Fighting fire takes raw courage; like the 343 firefighters that died in 9/11, they know that there’s a chance that they might not go home. A famous quote from Marcus Aurelius that we find suiting for our national firefighters, “You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” 

3. Firefighters Are Scientists

Firefighters are heroes because they are scientists. There are different reasons why a fire might start, and not every fire begins the same way. Your local fire marshall will tell you that some home fires start when certain chemicals collide or an electrical wire malfunction. These two causes fall into one of the six known classes of fires.

The six different fire classes:

Class A – solids, such as paper, textiles, wood, plastics, and rubber 

Class B – flammable liquids, such as petrol, oil, and paint

Class C – flammable gases, such as propane, butane, and methane 

Class D – metals, such as aluminum, magnesium, and titanium

Class E – electrically energized equipment

Class F – cooking oils and fats

Each class of fire requires a different approach. Firefighters are heroes because they have to decipher which type of fire they’re dealing with quickly to put out the fire safely.

After the firefighting heroes subdue the hot flames, they will need to find out the fire's cause. Finding the cause of fire takes scientific knowledge of chemistry, physics, and engineering. With the collected information, the firefighter will be able to conclude the fire's origin and determine if the fire was an accident or arson. 

4. Firefighters Are Tenacious

Firefighters are heroes because they are tenacious. The typical firefighter will work a Kelly shift schedule. A Kelly shift schedule is a 9-day cycle where the firefighter works one 24-hour shift, followed by 24 hours off, then will work another 24-hour shift, followed by 24 hours off duty, then a final 24-hour shift occurs, followed by four consecutive days off duty. As you can see, firefighters work long hours and do not get the luxury of getting holidays or their birthdays off. Firefighters' never give up attitude allows us to be with our family during the holiday season safely. During the Coronavirus pandemic, the firefighting heroes were still working to keep us safe. 

5. Firefighters Contribute To The Community

Firefighters are heroes because they contribute to the community. Firefighters work long shifts to save the lives of others. In most cases, saving lives comes from preventing future fires from happening. A firefighter will install fire alarms, create fire regulations, and visit children in school to teach fire safety. 

Outside of preventing and fighting fires, firefighters will help when you’re hurt, stuck in a car after a car accident, or have fallen. Firefighters also have to be EMTs; part of the job description includes giving first aid and CPR to injured or ill people. In recent months firefighters have received many calls to aid sick coronavirus patients.  

Firefighters work tirelessly to ensure that all members of their community are safe, pets included. Your local fire department will receive multiple calls a year to rescue pets stuck in trees or a tight place.  

Thank You From SERVPRO  

SERVPRO of South Cobb wants to thank the firefighters of this nation. We hope you learned more about the history of firefighting and why we think firefighters are heroes. After your local fire department puts out the fire, SERVPRO will send out their fire restoration professionals to make the fire loss "Like it never even happened."

Call us at (770) 739-2355.