Dear Editor,
It is with fond memories that I write this in support of all the
fine, hard-working group of men I know, the Gilroy
firefighters.
I was once married to one of these men and would like you to
know something about them.
Dear Editor,
It is with fond memories that I write this in support of all the fine, hard-working group of men I know, the Gilroy firefighters.
I was once married to one of these men and would like you to know something about them.
Have you ever seen a grown man cry from sheer exhaustion? Not just from physical exhaustion but emotional as well. When he has returned from a fire and he knows that the child he was looking for can no longer be with his family because he was unable to get to him in time. Or when he rushes to the home of a possible child drowning on a fine summer morning knowing that this family will never be the same if he doesn’t act quickly.
I was witness to many things that perhaps the public doesn’t understand. Have you ever been sound asleep and been abruptly awakened by a shrill alarm going off or the phone ringing in the dead of night? These things happen on a regular basis in the households of all firefighters. These men are expected to respond and respond quickly. The wives are left with the worrying about the safety of the person that has just run out of the house to tend to someone in need.
I remember one fire that was troubling to me in that they were called to a barn fire. As they approached they could see that it was fully involved but nonetheless they would have to enter to make sure nobody was trapped. Now in this barn, unbeknownst to them, the rancher had been storing chemicals. Yes, chemicals of which at the time nobody knew the contents. Many of the firefighters became quite ill after, some needing to go to the hospital and some returning to their homes to be nursed by their wives.
And all this was happening while the wives were at home with ears planted closely to the radio in hopes that it wasn’t her spouse that was going to the hospital.
There were also times when they would have to respond to a call that involved “one of their own.” These, of course, were some of the hardest to respond to, as they are a close-knit community. How do you tell your brother?
Everyday these men DO put their lives on the line. They live the high-stress life not just because they opted for this type of job but because they truly care about the people they serve. They don’t stop to ask questions before they enter the burning structure nor do they waste any time in responding to our needs. They are truly first responders, firefighters, and your best friend.
Eloise A. Kannely
