Be a Hometown Hero: Volunteer Firefighters

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That's because firefighting is risky business. Nationwide, about 117 firefighters die in the line of duty every year, reports the National Fire Protection Association ( www.nfpa.org ) . Most of them are volunteers.

"Firefighters are the purest example of love that we have in our society," wrote former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani in the prologue to Brotherhood, a photo tribute book published to benefit New York Fire Department charities after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks (see MOTHER'S Bookshelf, Page 129). "Firefighters are in most ways ordinary people, but they are capable of extraordinary heroism because they do not let fear determine their actions. Their courage is found in letting their love for human life, and their sense of duty and obligation to their fellow human beings, cause them to rise above their own immediate concerns. In doing so, they set an example for all of us. They remind us what each of us can become — selfless, courageous, and heroic at the moment when the pressure is greatest. They show us what we are all capable of in the most difficult and dramatic moments of our lives, as well as in smaller moments all along the way."

Yes, running with the local fire department is an excellent way to meet your neighbors. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the business, those meetings often are on the worst days of their lives. That may also be why what firefighters do means so much to so many.

One of our neighbors, Dee Barebo, has marked Sept. 16 the last three years by sending me a huge floral arrangement. That's the date I jumped into a pond and tied a lifeline around her husband, Chris. He was stuck in a drainpipe, chest-deep in the rising floodwaters of Hurricane Floyd. The bouquet is laced with four of the biggest rolls of Life Savers they make.

My wife, Melanie, also remembers that date: The worst — and best — day of her life. Chief Reiss drove me home, soaking wet and shivering under two wool Army blankets. His shiny badge and uniform were the first things Melanie saw when she opened the door. For a few seconds, she thought the worst had happened.

I'll keep the candy, but the flowers rightfully belong to Melanie.

Fire Prevention Tips

Each level of the house needs a smoke alarm. Test batteries monthly and change them twice a year, when the time changes.

Have a carbon monoxide detector, especially with gas and oil furnaces or woodstoves. Check and change batteries when you check the smoke alarms.

Make sure your house number is clearly visible from the street or on a rural mailbox.

When cleaning out the woodstove's firebox, place hot ashes in a metal container and store them outside, away from anything flammable.

Have two or more exits from every room. Windows should open easily. Have a fire escape ladder in a two-story house.

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