Over Memorial Day, in Alaska, there was a wildfire that ate up 192,000 acres of land and caused millions of dollars in damage. While this fire raged, there was a group of people out there, trying to battle it and stop this monstrous beast of towering flame, hungry for land and lives.
They are some of our unsung heroes. They are some of our warriors against elements such as fires and they are the ones that go and rescue people in such instances as what happened on September 11, 2001.
They are firefighters.
Anchorage, Alaska.
During the Memorial Day weekend, the conditions for a fire were perfect. Little rain, lots of heat, and then, the next day, people were waking up with ash on their cars and surrounding them outside.
It was a taste for them to see what many of their neighbors here below Canada have been going through. As their counterparts did here south of Canada, though, so did the firefighters up north- they fought the fire, trying to save lives and land, trying to control this wild, towering, all consuming monster that was seeking to devour all in its path.
Residents were evacuated as the fire spread to a wildlife refuge, which wind further pushed into it.
Eventually, the fire was contained, and the town pulled together, offering food, shelter, and anything else needed to those who were refugees from this blaze and also the heroes that were trying to save them.
Firefighters.
I’m not sure about where others are from, but where I live and where I grew up there are many volunteer fire departments. They receive very little funding from the state and run entirely on donations.
The firemen are not paid for their time given and they are often left with their own medical expenses that no one else will cover.
They take time away from their families and themselves to try and help keep communities safe and to help those that need it. They volunteer this, of their own accord, with no benefits, no glory, and, sometimes they pay the ultimate sacrifice.
During the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, the firefighters were instrumental in helping those people out of the fallen towers. They were instrumental in keeping people safe.
Many died. And many of their families and those who survived have not received any help.
There are many funds that, should you be interested in it, you can donate to, to help those firefighters and to also help others. The links are here and here.
These are just some of our everyday heroes who should be honored far more than they are.
