Behind the Badge
Today across America there are tens of thousands of first responders who will not be spending the Thanksgiving holiday with their families.
They will instead be in their patrol cars or fire stations waiting for the dispatchers’ call. Some are proactively patrolling our streets keeping our communities safe.
They will be responding to family fights, drunken rages and traffic accidents. They will be putting out kitchen fires and responding to medical aids incurred by weekend warriors.
Some will be keeping the peace at Black Friday sales or booking shoplifters taking advantage of the large crowds. Others will be responding to home and auto burglaries or searching for drunken drivers.
Still others will be called in on their day off when the crimes are serious enough. Murderers, robbers and gang members don’t take the holidays off.
The holidays are a busy time for first responders whether they are police officers, firefighters or dispatchers.
First responders have willingly made the choice to serve others — a decision that comes with the understanding their lives will be different than most. On a day when others are celebrating with family, they will often be witness to the worst parts of our society.
When you give thanks today for all you have in this great country, you should also be thankful there are others who stand the line so we all can enjoy the freedoms this country has to offer.
Our police officers and firefighters will be there when needed. They have proven so over and over again.
When you really need them they are only a 911 call away.
