There's no such thing as a 'routine' fire call. While the nature of the call (fire, medical emergency, accident) may be similar, the circumstances aren't.
Ask any of the volunteer firemen and women in Bates County and they'll tell you that's true. Sure, there is a standard protocol to follow in every case, such as grabbing the medical bags or pulling hose and getting the truck ready to pump.
Beyond that, there is a whole level of humanity that the average person doesn't know about unless they've been helped by these folks.
It's the personal touch. It's the calming of accident victims or those that are sick- including calming of family members that were not directly involved in the situation.
And remember, our local firefighters and first responders are mostly volunteers. It's not about driving the big red truck with lights and siren. It's not about the status quo. These are people who climb out of bed in the middle of the night simply because they want to help.
All the while, they are fully aware of the dangers that may not allow them to go home to their family at the end of the call.
So, next time you see anyone representing our local fire, EMS or first responders tell 'em thank you. Hopefully you'll never need them, but if you do, you'll quickly understand how much they care.
