When fire is cried and danger is neigh,
"God and the firemen" is the people's cry;
But when 'tis out and all things righted,
God is forgotten and the firemen slighted.
~Author unknown, fromThe Fireman's Journal, 18 Oct 1879
"God and the firemen" is the people's cry;
But when 'tis out and all things righted,
God is forgotten and the firemen slighted.
~Author unknown, fromThe Fireman's Journal, 18 Oct 1879
PERSEVERANCE
Last week was a busy week for some of our neighbors. The volunteers of the Atchison County Fire District # 2 were called upon 3 times to extinguish blazes. First, Monday early evening some errant sparks from ashes dumped in a field were blown up and fell into a pile of mulch causing a larger fire that threatened a neighboring hay barn and home. The temps were really low, around 10ºF with high winds. Then early Wednesday morning, while it was about 0ºF out with high winds again, embers from a pile of burning saw dust at the Fuemmeler Sawmill blew into a pile of logs, igniting the same into a small bonfire. Besides the local fire department, Lancaster and Valley Falls departments came to their aid. The fire was suppressed in a quick, efficient manner and large property damage was avoided. The next morning around 6 AM another call was received. A grass fire on 286th Road was reported. The fire was kindled by power lines downed by the night’s high winds. The department responded and put the fires out, but only after a lot of difficulty with freezing temps and frozen equipment. It was about 6 below out during that call.
Thursday afternoon many of us witnessed how professionals properly trained, following their instincts and using their heads, saved 160 people in a plane crash in the Hudson River at the feet of the skyscrapers. Everyone called them heroes. Every day people all across the nation do the same thing in less dramatic ways without cable news coverage and calls from the president of the country. They all give of themselves whether they are paid to do so, or like our volunteer fire fighters, who do so out of civic responsibility. They should equally receive our thanks and admiration. They leave their warm beds, their businesses, to help in all kinds of weather and times of the day. They also go through training and on their own time.
While speaking with Kirk Kloepper this week, gathering information about the above mentioned fires, I noticed he was unconcerned about the inconveniences to himself but wanted to make sure I put something in the paper to thank Rori at the Diner for sending buckets of coffee, biscuits and gravy to the sawmill to help warm the volunteers, and to Kim Banks for hauling the goodies to them. The Coop provided a coffee pot to help out. He also expressed thanks to George Eis and the Salvation Army for coming to their aid to provide comfort and support. He said, “These are the kind of people that make this such a great community to live in. The guys just want to say thanks.”
There were no cameras and no 15 minutes of fame, but when you see those folks, whether they are on the fire trucks or the ambulances, give them at least an “atta boy or girl” and says thanks. We need more like them.
Thursday afternoon many of us witnessed how professionals properly trained, following their instincts and using their heads, saved 160 people in a plane crash in the Hudson River at the feet of the skyscrapers. Everyone called them heroes. Every day people all across the nation do the same thing in less dramatic ways without cable news coverage and calls from the president of the country. They all give of themselves whether they are paid to do so, or like our volunteer fire fighters, who do so out of civic responsibility. They should equally receive our thanks and admiration. They leave their warm beds, their businesses, to help in all kinds of weather and times of the day. They also go through training and on their own time.
While speaking with Kirk Kloepper this week, gathering information about the above mentioned fires, I noticed he was unconcerned about the inconveniences to himself but wanted to make sure I put something in the paper to thank Rori at the Diner for sending buckets of coffee, biscuits and gravy to the sawmill to help warm the volunteers, and to Kim Banks for hauling the goodies to them. The Coop provided a coffee pot to help out. He also expressed thanks to George Eis and the Salvation Army for coming to their aid to provide comfort and support. He said, “These are the kind of people that make this such a great community to live in. The guys just want to say thanks.”
There were no cameras and no 15 minutes of fame, but when you see those folks, whether they are on the fire trucks or the ambulances, give them at least an “atta boy or girl” and says thanks. We need more like them.
