Appreciating the Firefighters that serve our community...

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it."  Nelson Mandela.

Yesterday, our community experienced a very involved fire at a home on Lanningan Drive.  Our career and volunteer firefighters responded to the call and came upon what most people would seem terrifying.  But these guys just geared up and did what they were trained to do.  I can't imagine what it is like to enter a building that is on fire, and I wanted to take this moment and express deep appreciation for the men and women who serve our community in this way.

We had a younger fireman experience entering a building with a fully involved fire for the first time.  I asked Jack Oakley, our Director of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, what it was like to do this...enter a building on fire...because I wanted to reach out to the fireman (a rookie no more) and to acknowledge his actions yesterday.  Jack described it to me as follows:

"Upon arriving at the scene, the adrenaline is pumping, you are gearing up and stretching the line (the hose) to the front door.  Crawling in the house...it's hot and smoky, and putting water on the fire produces steam which lends to zero visibility.  But once you are done, you are tired but you have a sense of accomplishment that you put out the fire and saved people or property."

(Jack didn't know I was posting this....so I hope it is ok)

This reminded me of one of my favorite Nelson Mandela quotes on courage that I started this post with.

I am told that the fire was put out swiftly limiting the property damage, and family pets were saved as well.

Anyway, I just wanted to share this all with you...and publicly acknowledge and thank our firefighters for their service to our community.  Well done!