Unsung Hero's

Thank you to the Unsung Hero’s

Fireman working on the fire

by Goldie

As many of you know the office building next to mine burned down last week. It was a horrific fire that left 2 non- profit businesses without a home and scrambling to provide services to their clients. The fire began during the night, raged with 40 feet flames at times and then flared and smoldered for 2 days.

Twice during the fire and aftermath, I encountered the police and firemen in my office. The first time was an officer asking me if he could use our microwave to heat his lunch, he was starving and had to stay in his patrol car in front of the building. As he stood staring at the container in his hand he said he didn’t have a fork. I did and gave it to him. He thanked me profusely.

The second time was when a fireman came in and said that they needed us to evacuate our just opened parking lot. They needed to bring in heavy equipment to cave in part of the still smoldering building. Would I please go around the building and tell everyone? Of course I would. He thanked me.

However, it should be everyone in my building, who is sending out the huge thank you. We were spared, separated only by a narrow driveway from a burning inferno. The fact that our building was saved from any damage in itself was incredible. Our places of business are intact and we have jobs to go to without the interruption and chaos of trying to rebuild.

There is nothing left but a side door, some bricks, beams and a huge pile of debris from the building next door. Yet the people who lost everything in that building put up a big Thank you to the men and women who risked their well being to fight that fire. On that white door that still stands, in colored markers it says “Thank You MFD” (Madison Fire Dept).

The building that burned down

I am ashamed to say that when that officer and that fireman thanked me- it should have been me who said, “No, thank you and for what you do”. All too often we take for granted that the people doing their jobs are doing just that, doing their job. We forget the risks they take and the impact it can have on our lives.

So, thank you Madison Fire Dept and Madison Police Dept for all you did for us that day and everyday.

I fully intend to make sure in the future that I thank them personally. My son is an EMT – I know that he too does it for the love of his job (it sure isn’t the money) so thank you to him and all EMT’s as well.

Is there someone whom you believe needs to be thanked for his or her work, who often goes as an unsung hero?